


Secrets

by KalChloe1



Series: The Secrets Series [1]
Category: Smallville
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-05
Updated: 2017-01-26
Packaged: 2018-02-11 21:58:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 52,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2084610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KalChloe1/pseuds/KalChloe1
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU. What if Chloe had her own secrets? Two years after fleeing Smallville she returns with a toddler. This is a prequel to another fiction {Prophecy} Smallville/Wolf Lake Cross over</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. PT 1

**Author's Note:**

> Authors Note: `Kal` is red-K infected Clark, Kal is the toddler
> 
> Special thanks to my awesome Beta : "lanalucy"

PT 1

Chloe had been aware of the chatter in town since her return to Smallville. People wondered where she’d been for two years. The gossip only increased when they noticed her taking a toddler out of her car.

She could hear them asking: Was Chloe pregnant when she left? Who’s the father? Is it Clark Kent? Did she only come back because Gabe is dying? How long is she staying?

The questions and rumors did not bother her, but she wished for a way to turn off her heightened senses. The hearing was much easier to deal with than the masculine scent of Clark Kent, though. The instant she passed the “Welcome to Smallville” sign his scent had teased her. Every time she breathed, he was all she could see, making her miss him all the more.

Chloe half expected to find Clark knocking on her door and demanding answers from her. She was almost relieved he had not shown up yet. Before she’d disappeared, Clark had tried several times to speak with her but he’d never managed to catch up with her. She often wondered if Clark believed `Kal` had ruined their friendship.  
One minute she was arguing with `Kal` about returning to Smallville because his parents needed him and then in the next `Kal` had been all over her. At night she would wake up after vivid dreams of their night together, covered in sweat and aching with unquenched need. She was starting to feel that way now and it was making her restless.

‘God I need a cold shower’ she thought.

Glancing at Kal, Chloe determined he was sleeping soundly. She was amazed at how much he looked like Clark. Her features were there too, but not as profoundly as his father’s. Kal had curly black hair and reddish-blue-green eyes. She could not help but wonder what caused his irises to have the red pigment that mixed with Clark’s eyes. More than anything, she wanted to take Kal to Clark, but did not want her son to feel the pain of missing him when they would be forced to leave Smallville.  
=====

Clark sat in his fortress of solitude staring across the room wondering why Chloe had not come to the farm yet. He missed her so much his chest ached. After she left, he’d been tempted to search for her. He’d wanted to tell her everything, and had attempted to several times before she ran away.

However his emotions were mixed, since Clark was also angry with her. She was supposed to be his best friend. If he meant as much to her as she did to him then why hadn't she bothered to contact him? He could’t understand why she’d left in the first place and often wondered if she’d told him what had been going on, if he could have helped her.

His visit to the Sullivans several weeks after she left still bugged him.“Clark. Please, you can’t keep coming here. She won’t be back,”Mr. Sullivan had said through the small open space of the door. Before Clark could say another word,Gabe had quickly closed the door. Clark believed Mr. Sullivan was scared to the point of being terrified. If it had not been for his super hearing he would never have heard him say, ““She didn’t leave because she wanted to, but because she had no other choice. If she hadn't lost that damn talisman…”

Clark breathed in and then slowly exhaled as he attempted to rid his mind of the thoughts plaguing him. ‘The only person who can give me answers is Chloe,’ He wanted those answers, yet could not shake the feeling that the issue was bigger than any meteor freaks he’d dealt with in the past.

Leaving the loft, Clark decided it was time to confront her. Stepping out of the barn, he gasped in pain and covered his eras with his hands trying to block out the high-pitched ringing. His attitude and demeanor changed as his Kryptonian counterpart took over his mind.

======

Martha had heard the rumors floating around town and wondered if Kal-El’s sudden appearance had anything to do with one particular rumor. She knew Clark could hear every rumor that was being said about his best friend, and she was honestly surprised Clark had not gone to see Chloe yet. She had gone outside to ask him about Chloe when she noticed him grabbing his head in pain. Wondering what was wrong with him, she rushed over to him in concern, “Clark?” she questioned.

She blinked in surprise when he turned toward her and said, “I am Kal-El of Krypton.”

Martha pounded on his chest, demanding, “Give me my son back.”

Kal-El looked down at her and growled, “Clark Kent is dead.”

Kal-El looked up and then suddenly he was flying into the sky.The force knocked Martha to the ground. Watching him fly away, she vowed to help Clark, but wasn’t sure how she could, until the answer came to her.

Martha walked back into the house determined to somehow convince Chloe to help her. When Martha called her, she wondered why Chloe asked if Clark was home. Her gut instincts told her that Chloe was avoiding Clark, making Martha wonder even more if the toddler was her grandchild.

=======

Chloe arrived on the farm feeling curious and slightly anxious. Pulling into the driveway, she shifted into park and turned off the ignition. Glancing around, she scanned the area to make certain she had not been followed and slowly made her way to the old farmhouse.

Martha and Jonathan continued discussing Martha’s idea, apparently unaware that she’d arrived. “Martha I do n’t think your idea is a good one, “Jonathan said. “Chloe vanished two years ago. She just packed her car up and left. Gabe is dying from exposure to some toxin at Luther labs. I’m willing to bet that’s the only reason she’s returned.”

“I never thought I would see the day that my husband listened to rumors,” Martha said.

“There is one rumor that did have me listening. The timing matches when she was looking into leads for us,” Jonathan snapped.

“I know my idea can work,” Martha said.

Chloe chose that moment to make her presence known by saying, “Sorry to interrupt. I couldn't help but overhear.”

Neither Jonathan nor Martha appeared aware that Chloe had overheard all of their conversation. Now that she had their attention, Chloe continued, “If what I believe is happening. I could not be a worse choice.”

========

Martha looked at Chloe strangely, and Jonathan knew she had not told Chloe about Clark’s sudden personality change. Jonathan instantly got agitated. His main concern had always been keeping Clark safe from people who would use his secret against him.

“Relax. Everyone has secrets,” Chloe said while taking a seat at the table.

Jonathan noticed the class ring the moment Chloe touched the chair. ‘Martha was right,’ he thought to himself.

=======

Chloe wondered what the best way to explain was without putting the Kents’ in danger. She had not sensed any of her kind around, but the presence of Clark’s scent was distracting her.She figured the best way was to get right to the point. The longer she was at the farm the more dangerous it could become for all of them.

Chloe reached into her purse to pull out two items. Setting the items on the table, she said, “I know you can keep my secret because I know Clark has secrets.”

Jonathan crossed his arms over his chest, clearly wanting answers. If one of her secrets included that toddler being Clark’s son there was no way she could expect him to keep that from his son. Martha simply stared.

“Knowing you’re good at keeping secrets doesn't matter. It’s too dangerous,” Chloe stated. She would never forgive herself if something happened to them. She flipped the picture over and pushed it between Martha and Jonathan.

=========

Martha gasped.The picture left no doubt the two year old toddler was her grandchild.

“Let me get this straight. You skipped town because you were pregnant by our son?” Jonathan asked angrily. He was trying not to think about how the child’s eyes were different. However, each time he looked at the ring he couldn't help but wonder. Chloe shook her head.

“Not by Clark, by ‘Kal,’ or at least that’s what Clark insisted his name was at the time,” Chloe informed him.

“You should have talked to Clark after he came back,” Jonathan said as his eyes fell to the class ring again.

========

His continued glances at the class ring did not go unnoticed by Chloe. She wondered why Jonathan seemed to be obsessed with it.‘It was Clark’s ring.’

Other than his red eyes her son was a completely healthy child, with a few exceptions, and she believed his health came from Clark – she didn't remember Clark ever being sick. She was pulled out of her thoughts when Jonathan said, “You should have told Clark.”

Chloe was tempted to roll her eyes at his repeated insistence that she should have told Clark. She sighed, knowing when she’d discovered her pregnancy,that her mind was in an uproar. She’d never expected to become pregnant in the first place. According to what she was told about her kind, the only way a female conceived was during a heat. However, sex during a heat was not enough; the female also had to be in her natural form.

After discovering she was pregnant, she’d believed the part about natural form was an old wives’ tale. During sex with Kal she had been perilously close to shifting due to the tremendous pleasure of their joined bodies. Her pulse raced in response to her memories. Breathing in and out, she attempted to focus on the current situation.

==========

Jonathan stared at Chloe in disbelief. He’d always liked her, but now he wasn't sure of his judgment. Clark’s judgment had been impaired during his stay in Metropolitan. He couldn't help but wonder what she was thinking about since she was being so quiet.

“Telling Clark would not have made a difference,” Chloe replied.

“Clark has the right to know,” Martha said angrily.

Jonathan nodded in agreement.

“What you did was selfish,” Jonathan finally said.

Chloe breathed in deeply, trying to control the anger within her at those words. “Selfish! No! If I’d stayed, that would have been selfish!” Chloe snapped.

Jonathan was about to ask her what she meant but Chloe cut him off by saying, “I wrote this letter to Clark. It explains everything about me. He can tell you but I can’t.”

Jonathan believed Chloe had no intention of telling Clark even now. Martha continued to stare at the photo while Jonathan watched Chloe intently. His eyebrow rose when she suddenly tilted her head slightly. The action reminded him of Clark when he was listening to something far away. Studying her more closely, he noticed there were definite signs that she had matured over the last two years.

============

Chloe heard, “Chlo…you kept something from me.”

There was no way, he couldn't possibly know about their son. She had been extremely careful before she left town, purposely avoiding Clark. Almost anytime she’d gone into town, she’d kept her son hidden at home with her father. There had been only a couple of exceptions when she’d gone to satisfy her body’s cravings for coffee. One time she’d bumped into Lana at the Talon; the body signals from Lana told her exactly who she thought the father of Chloe’s son was.

“My son!” Kal-El growled.

===========

Kal-El watched his son sleeping soundly. Reaching into the playpen, he gently scooped his son up and cradled him to his chest. Kal turned his head slightly as if he were seeking out the sound of his father’s heartbeat. His little hand moved to clutch tightly at the fabric of the black shirt. Gabe came into the room as Kal-El was wrapping the blanket around Kal. Kal-El had no intention of letting his son go.

==========

“Clark, you can’t take him!” Gabe pleaded. The situation had never sat right with Gabe. His fears of the others had been what had made him remain silent all these years. He was deeply aware of what could possibly happen to the Kents if his house was being watched right now. “You don’t know what they’ll do!” Gabe pleaded.

“I can protect them,” Kal-El growled. Without another word, he headed to the door. “Tell Chloe to meet me at the caves,” Kal-El demanded. Gabe started to respond, but Kal-El was gone in the blink of an eye.

==========

Her hopes crumbled around her, knowing Kal-El was taking their son. Chloe quickly answered her cell phone.

“Clark took your son! I tried to stop him. He told me to tell you to meet him at the caves,” Gabe yelled.

“Dad! calm down,” Chloe said

“I have to go. Kal-El took my son,” Chloe said in a rush.

At the door she paused when Martha said, “Chloe. I want to meet my grandson.”

It was with a sad heart that Chloe responded, “I can’t bring Kal here. I’ve been warned I’ve already broken their laws.”

“What laws?” Jonathan asked, his brow wrinkled.

“I dared to fall in love with your son, to make him my mate, to bear his child,” Chloe replied before stepping out of the house.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Tonight would be the first time in two years Chloe would be face to face with Clark , and her heart raced in anticipation. However, she’d overheard the statement he’d made to Martha earlier, so she mentally reminded herself that he was Kal-El, not Clark. ‘What is it with him and all the different names? In Metropolis he insisted his name was `Kal.` Does he have a multiple personality disorder?’

Watching him intently, she saw Kal-El lift his eyes toward the entrance. His statement, “At first I thought it was your heartbeat I heard when you returned;” played over in her mind. She’d known Clark was more than a simple farm boy, and suspected he’d been infected by the meteor rocks, suspected that was the reason her son already exhibited super strength.

If Kal had inherited his super-strength from Clark, and her blood didn’t curse him, then after his first flip, he’d be twice as strong again as he was now. The silence that hung in the air made her wonder what Kal-El was thinking about.

~~~

Kal-El’s mind wandered into the events surrounding her return.

Clark sat in his loft. He heard a familiar thumping but there seemed to be an echo/ The harder he focused, the more blurred the echo became. It wasn’t until rumors started to float to him that he made connections.

Clark didn’t listen to the questions everyone was asking, until he overheard a conversation between Lana and Pete about Chloe.

“Did you know Chloe was pregnant when she left?” Lana asked.

“No…” Pete answered. There was a pause for a moment before he continued, “But I had my suspicions that something had happened between them.”

“What do you mean?” Lana asked.

“Just the way Chloe acted towards Clark. She got so good at avoiding him I wondered if she had a sixth sense when it came to him.” Pete replied.

“That’s impossible!” Lana snapped.

“Why are you angry?” Pete asked.

“I saw him - the child. There is no doubt in my mind her son is Clark’s - he’s a mini Clark. That means Clark cheated on me. It just makes me wonder if the real reason for our breakup was Clark’s guilt.”

“I think Clark broke up with you because he finally realized he had feelings for Chloe.”

“Chloe was supposed to be my friend!” Lana said.

“Well, maybe Chloe felt guilty too?” Pete suggested.

Clark stopped listening to their conversation. He wondered what would happen if he focused on the echo.

Breathing in deeply, Kal-El forced those thoughts from his mind. His nostrils flared with annoyance at Clark’s inability to do what was necessary. ‘The time for thoughts is over. I am the one in control now.’

“But tonight I heard them both, and in different places - one on the farm and the other at your dad’s.” With her so close, Kal-El was unable to resist temptation. His eyes raked over her body and mentally took in the subtle changes. 

The red tank hugged her slightly larger breasts. Even without using his x-ray vision, he was aware she’d opted not to wear a bra. A smirk formed on his lips as her body responded to his stare. Her nipples hardened into tight nubs and poked at the thin fabric, silently begging for his touch. He forced himself to look away from her breasts and continued downward.

His eyes focused on the small patch of smooth silky skin that peeked out between her tank top and skirt. He imagined how her body had changed during pregnancy - her abdomen swelling with his son, her enlarged breasts filling with milk after he was born. The mere thought brought on both happiness and anger. He believed emotions made him weak, though. He was not Clark, and so he had no intentions of allowing emotions to control him.

He noted how the black skirt barely covered her, and his x-ray vision revealed that she wore only the two pieces of clothing. ‘Convenient.’

~~~  
Chloe cursed her body as it responded to his stare. His gaze was a heated caress. The lingering scent on the farm had been a distraction but here, this close, it was dangerous. The source of her desires was within her grasp. Her eyes might already be glowing a golden hue. ‘Might as well admire him.’

She remembered the softness and silkiness of his curly hair and longed to thread her fingers in it. Her small hands itched to grip his broad shoulders so their bodies pressed together. A tremor coursed down her spine as she hungered for the pleasure of her soft body tight against his hard one.

His black button-down shirt clung to his muscular chest and his muscles rippled beneath when he held their son closer to him. Her memories of those muscles rippling under her hands and mouth made her core ache.  
.  
In an attempt to focus away from her traitorous body, she looked toward her son instead. He turned his head slightly, his hand wrapped around the fabric of his father’s shirt in a death grip. The steady rhythm of his heart reassured her he was sleeping. Stepping closer to Kal-El, she prayed silently to herself that she could get through to him.

Her eyes focused on his, allowing her to see both parts of his soul - her best friend Clark, and Kal-El, a much calmer and more dangerous part of him, though she still remembered the latter as `Kal`. When Kal-El breathed in deeply, she wondered if her scent surrounded him, the way his did her. His body’s reaction was quite clear - as his erection swelled behind his ever-tightening zipper, leaving her no doubt that he wanted her.

~~~

Two years was too long not to enjoy the pleasures of her welcoming body. Trembling internally, Clark fought to regain control of himself. He wanted to make her writhe in ecstasy, but deny her climax till she deserved it. The problem would be gaining enough control to make Kal-El watch.

Clark knew that Jor-El had inserted Kal-El into his mind, and had brainwashed him intentionally to be devoid of emotion. His refusal to deal with Chloe had inadvertently triggered Kal-El. ‘But emotions don’t make me weak.’ He could never be given back the time already stolen from him, and each additional moment the struggle continued was more time he lost. He pictured Kal-El and Clark Kent and then forcefully combined the two into one. ‘I am the last son of Krypton.’

Her attempt to remove his son from his arms brought him out of his head, and he shifted his arms slightly. She snarled in response, the sound vibrated straight to his erection, and he groaned in frustration.

He felt her hand on the bite mark she’d left, heard her “Clark…” His heartbeat elevated, and he wanted to rip the clothes from her body. His pulse raced under her thumb as she teasingly pressed her claim. He could hear her heart racing to match his.

“Chloe” Clark growled.

He’d discovered the mark before she’d left. He was still puzzled by how she’d gotten through his invulnerability. Right now, he needed to focus; he reached for her hand and saw his class ring. His heart pounded at the implications, but he felt no effects from the stone.

~~~

Chloe was concerned with the distinct possibility a tracker had followed her. The alpha had warned her what would happen to any humans he believed to know their secret, basically informing her in so many words that their blood would be on her hands if she disobeyed him. She was genuinely afraid of what the pack would do to the people she cared about in this town.

The reason she’d fled two years ago was to protect those she loved. The pack had discovered her location after she’d lost the talisman given to her by Sherman to conceal her other. She’d wondered since if Clark possessed that talisman, but even if he did, she doubted that it would do her any good now.

““I’m a skinwalker from a large pack. They will kill anyone they perceive as a threat. We can’t stay. My blood curses me just as it curses our son - we have to go back, and we have to stay there. If you love us, let us go!” Chloe begged. She knew her eyes glowed from anger and frustration and fear.

“Neither you nor they have any idea of what I am or what I can do!” Clark growled.

~~~

For two years, Clark had been haunted by dreams of their night together in Metropolis. There was no way on Earth that he would willingly allow Chloe to leave him. He moved further into the cave. Squatting down, he gently place Kal on a bearskin rug. When Kal reached for him and fussed, making it apparent he wanted to be in his father’s embrace, he murmured soothing words before he brushed a gentle kiss across his son’s forehead

Clark waited till he was satisfied Kal was going to remain sleeping and then switched into super speed. He gave Chloe no time to react before his mouth came crashing down on hers. His large hands slipped underneath the tank top and slowly moved along her spine. He relished the feel of her tongue as it slipped into his mouth to battle with his. Clark grunted in pleasure, enjoying the feel of her fingers at the nape of his neck. Lingering in the back of his mind was the knowledge that they should be discussing everything, not making out.

Deep down, Chloe acknowledged that she should stop him. However, getting her body to follow suit was impossible. His hands quickly rid them both of their clothing, making her desperate to feel more of him. She reluctantly broke the kiss when she could no longer breathe. Her whimpers and moans of frustration echoed off the cave walls, and matched his groan at the feel of their bodies so close joining as one.

Clark thought about the use of protection, and the hesitation was clearly written in his eyes.

“Clark, I’m not in heat!” Chloe moaned.

She was not surprised by his confused response as he asked, “Heat?”

Shoving her hips against his, she silently asked if talking was what he really wanted. She gasped in pleasure as Clark answered by filling her completely.

They matched each other’s thrusts as their bodies fought for dominance.

Clark noticed her eyes start to glow golden again.

‘I thought I imagined that before.’

~~~

Chloe moaned as her walls clamped down on him, making him feel like he was encased within a vise. As her juices coated him, his hips thrust uncontrollably.

“Clark!” Chloe screamed. “Mine,” she growled, and bit into her mark, reasserting her claim on him.

The sensation of her fangs in his neck caused Clark to thrust faster. As his seed flowed into her, he replied, “Yours.” Instinctively, Clark brought his mouth to her neck and bit her. His tongue moved over the two droplets of blood, and he growled, “Mine.”

“Yours,” Chloe screamed. The claim caused them to simultaneously climax again. Clark slowly and reluctantly slipped from inside of her. Chloe unwrapped her legs from his body and stepped away from him. Clark leaned down and kissed her tenderly. Looking deep into her eyes, he whispered, “I don’t want to let you or him go.” He sensed Chloe would give anything to stay. “I can protect both of you.”

Kal chose that moment to fuss. Clark sped over to Kal and picked him up in his arms. Kal rested his head against his father’s chest. Clark watched in awe as Chloe shifted from human to a silver wolf with hazel eyes. She trotted closer to him and nuzzled his hand with her snout. Clark squatted down and slowly ran his hand through her soft fur.

“Beautiful,” Clark said huskily.

~~~

Sweat clung to her skin as Chloe shed her pelt to return to human flesh. Shaking her head, she said, “No way.” She sensed his awe while she quickly dressed. 

Clark kissed Kal’s forehead before reluctantly handing him to Chloe. Kal quickly snuggled into his mother’s arms and rested his head against her chest. She wondered what Clark was thinking as he dressed, flicking quick glances at her and Kal.

Chloe had a sinking feeling that now Kal would be fussy and want Clark instead of her. She pondered calling Sherman to enlist his help. Maybe Sherman could convince the Alpha it was in the pack’s best interest for them to spend time with Clark.

“Now I really have to go. Go back to the farm and tell your Mom that Clark Kent is very much alive.“

~~~

His eyebrow rose as he wondered how she’d heard him. Nodding his head, Clark said, “I will.” He could sense that the last thing she wanted to do was to leave. Stepping closer to him, Chloe kissed him quickly before turning to leave. His heart felt heavy as Clark sadly watched her leave. His super hearing picked up a whisper as she left. “I love you. Wolf Lake.”

“I love you too,” Clark replied.

The longer he stared at the entrance, the greater the temptation to follow them. Switching into super speed, Clark sped to the farm instead. He needed to speak with his parents, try to devise a plan for Chloe and Kal to stay in Smallville.


	3. Chapter 3

Arriving on the farm, Clark found his parents snuggled together on the couch. His heart clenched painfully when he noticed a picture on the coffee table. He scuffed his feet nervously as he wondered what their thoughts might be about him being a father and hoped to skip the lecture on safe sex; after all it was a little late now.

Once again, he’s thrown caution out the window. Earlier, protection was a mere afterthought. Chloe claimed it was safe. He couldn't help feeling skeptical; she'd believed that in Metropolis. His otherworldly status could negate all forms of birth control. The prospect of another child with her, honestly, both scared and thrilled him.

Sitting down in the chair, Clark said, “Mom, I’m sorry about earlier.”

Absentmindedly, he reached down to pet Shelby. Shelby growled, and he pulled his hand back, looking down at her in confusion. “What’s your problem?” Clark asked. His normally over-friendly dog was staring at him in a very unfriendly manner. Her body became very still, almost rigid making Clark feel like he was prey. 

Clark suspected Shelby smelled an unfamiliar scent on him. Emotions affected animals sometimes; therefore it was possible she sensed his pain. His heart was lacking two vital pieces. “Go lie down over there then,” he said.

======

“It scared me to see you like that,” Martha said. If the rumors were the reason for the sudden appearance of Kal-El, then could there be reappearance? Her son attempted to hide his emotions. However, his eyes were always easy for her to read. Tonight, she needn’t ask what was bothering him, she already had the answers.

Martha glanced at the picture she’d looked at so much tonight. The features of her grandson were imbedded in her mind. “Kal looks so much like you,” Martha commented.

She wanted desperately to meet him. She felt shame at the jealousy toward her son for having spent time with him.

======

Jonathan sat quietly trying to comfort Martha. His own emotions of anger, confusion, fear, and shame were jumbled together. Could the situation have been avoided if Chloe was aware of Clark’s secret? Instead of honesty, he’d used her obvious feelings toward Clark for his own personal gain. He’d been the initial catalyst.  
Jonathan studied Clark, noting how his shoulders slumped slightly and the depths of his eyes harbored pain. He’d tried to rein in his anger at the situation and focus. It was difficult when her words about laws continued to puzzled him. He chastised himself for his inattentiveness as he asked, “Son, are you okay?”

=======

Shaking his head no, Clark reached for the picture. As he studied the image, a frown formed when he noticed the reddish color of Kal’s eyes. He surmised that Chloe must have worn his ring since she’d taken it from him. Numbness filled him at the awareness that he’d inadvertently contributed to his son being drugged.

Clark worried about the long term effects of exposure. His own exposure to Red-K had only been for a couple of months and then he’d taken it off a couple of times. To get any perspective, they would have to discuss her pregnancy.

Clark understood the reasons; His father had always been against anyone learning about his true origins. However, he was tired of having no one to share those parts of himself. His friendship with Chloe made him certain she could accept him. He trusted her and his intent was to tell her everything after Metropolis. “If I’d told her my secret when I wanted to…” Clark snapped.

=======

Jonathan didn't want to admit that Clark could very well be right. Chloe should have been responsible and told Clark about her pregnancy. Curious about her secret, he questions, “I understand Chloe has her own secret.”

Jonathan got the impression that was something Clark was not willing to discuss. He’d protected Clark for so long and his impression now was he was the one being protected. The consciousness of that did not sit well with him. He was a grown man and perfectly capable of protecting himself and Martha.

======

This discussion could end in an argument given his current mood. The last thing that Clark wanted was discuss her secret with his parents. His instincts informed him that the pack would be a threat.

“I need to talk more with her before I share it with you,” Clark stated. Whether Chloe liked it or not, he intended to be at her house later. Before that could happen, he wanted some time to himself. “I really need some time to think.”

=======  
Martha nodded her head in understanding and then glanced at Jonathan. He was furious with the decision Chloe had made to keep Kal from Clark. She was angry, too. She had a sinking feeling that if Chloe and Kal would not stay in Smallville, then Clark would either leave with them or soon follow. “There’s a letter on the table for you,” she said.

======

It took all his willpower to not jump into super speed. Getting up from the chair, Clark said, “I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Good night.” After his parents told him good night, he went into the kitchen and picked up the letter. He took the stairs two at a time and then walked down the hall to his bedroom.

Closing the door, Clark went over to his desk and opened the top drawer. Reaching into the drawer, he took out a white gold chain with a rune warrior knot pendant that contained a small light blue opal. Slipping the necklace in his front pocket, he sat down on the bed and tore open the letter.

======

Clark,

I’m a skinwalker or wolfen which means I shed my human skin for a pelt. You asked me once if I wanted children. My response was no. Don’t get me wrong, I love our son. It’s just the fear of the curse of my blood.

I wish I could say that I originally planned on coming back. But the truth is I knew that if I attempted to come back they would forcefully bring us home. It’s ironic since I had not considered Wolf Lake my home since I was thirteen.

Sherman Blackstone, the keeper of secrets for the pack, snuck me out of Wolf Lake. He brought me to an old family friend of his Gabe Sullivan. Once there, he gave me this chicken soup to drink. The herbs in this soup induce the first initial change.

My people call this a rite of passage. Generally, at puberty we go through our first shift or flip as the younger generation, calls it. An induced flip is more painful because the body is being forced into the process.

It initially starts with visions where everything changes color wise. Things are grey and red with flashes of the forest, almost like you are right there. Then you are surrounded by wolves that beckon you to join them. The first noticeable change is the hands and feet become clubbed. The second part is the changes in the face. Then the body just shifts but it’s painful like every bone in your body is being broken and your spine is being ripped from your body. The whole process takes anywhere from days to weeks.

A lot of times, more times than most, our bodies get stuck between the transformations. If this happens we die. This is one of the reasons; I call my blood a curse. There is a chance that our son will die before he turns eighteen. 

Afterwards, Sherman gave me an old talisman which he told me to wear at all times. He explained the rune talisman would hide my identity from the pack. But if I lost it, they would send enforcers whose sole job (purpose) was to bring pack members home. The second curse is that we are always tied to that town; our lives begin and end at the line.. This law is broken more times than you would think but the member is always brought back.

They believe if our secret is discovered it’s dangerous for the pack so the punishment for the human would be death. In death the threat is eliminated. I hate this term but this is what they call humans, ungulates. They feel humans are beneath us and human laws do not apply. Pack law supersedes human law.

So, when I lost the talisman I knew they would be coming for me. People in Smallville would have been in danger and possibly killed. At first, I thought maybe there was a way I could stay. If I found the talisman. But when I spoke to my dad about it his whole demeanor and attitude changed. I could smell his fear. It was like I was watching the humans who live in our time.

I know I avoided you before I left Smallville. I’m sure you are still wondering how I managed to get away from you. The unique intoxicating scent of Clark Kent. The closer you were to me the stronger your scent. This is also the same way I found you in Metropolis.

I felt guilty because you were not yourself when I came to convince you to come home. I was unaware at the time that I was in heat so my body literally gives off pheromones. This by the way is only supposed to happen with my true mate. Which if I am honest I fell in love with you the same day I met you. Now don’t let that go to your head.

My kind was always told that for us to conceive we had to have sex in our natural form. Either that rule was an old wives tale or it’s because there is something different about you.

I thought I could spare you pain. If you didn’t know I was pregnant. For the same reason I haven’t brought Kal to you. I never want him to feel the pain I feel without you being in my life. Not because I didn’t want you in his life but I can’t ask you to give up your life.

I also can’t deny Kal, his right to be a part of the pack. Kal can be friends with others like him where he can run. Something, I only allowed myself once here in Smallville. Generally, I keep that part of myself chained. But there are times when it’s hard to deny that part of myself

One specific incident would be the bite mark. It’s a claim which I honestly had no right to do. The wolf wanted to claim you as hers. But you insisted you love Lana Lang. The more you went on about Lana the more I wanted to rip her limb from limb.

According to the alpha I broke their laws by daring to take you as my mate. My claim on you will not be as strong as it should be since you did not claim me.

The alpha warned me that if I attempted to leave again. It is his job to see that the laws are obeyed and enforced. There are times when an exception may come but only when Sherman Blackstone insists it is in the best interest of the pack. That is actually the only reason I am here now.

Smallville is no longer my home. We are only here temporarily.

Never forget that I love you with all my heart and soul,

Chloe

~~~

Folding the letter, Clark started to research the town Wolf Lake. He discovered the town was the oldest town in Noble County, Indiana. Closing his laptop, he contemplated some of the things Chloe mentioned in her letter.

Clark was reminded of the Kawatche Indian tribe. They had a link to his planet, Krypton, that stretched back over 500 years. A man from the stars fell in love with the Mother of the Kawatche people. According to legend, the affair brought about the tribe.

Clark didn’t even want to think about Kal not making it through a flip. He hoped his connection to the Kawatche would eliminate that possibility. Could Chloe’s ancestors be connected to the tribe? If her pack was connected to the tribe, being with her could lead to self-discovery.

Clark agreed with her about Kal having the right to be part of the pack. It didn’t sit right with him that his son would be above human law, though. He would teach him that even though he was stronger than humans he was not better than them.

Her mention of chaining her wolf made him feel she was denying a part of herself. If she wanted to run, he would be more than happy to run with her. He remembered one summer when a silver wolf was running in their woods.

Clark suddenly felt pain at his wrist. Not certain of how a claim worked, he wondered if maybe he was feeling her pain. Tilting his head, he listened intently. His heart tightened painfully when he heard, “Da da.”

======

Chloe understood she would endure heartache when it came time to leave. She hoped to avoid her son knowing that pain. They were the ones tied to Wolf Lake; Clark could come and go as he pleased and his parents could visit. It was just imperative that they were aware of the dangers.

Chloe attempted to talk on her cell with Sherman while trying to stop Kal from squeezing her wrist. “Stop Kal. You are going to break my wrist,” she scolded. Turning her attention back to the phone, she said, “Sherman?”

Chloe growled impatiently, knowing Sherman was sitting right next to the alpha. She couldn’t help but smile when the alpha granted her request and was tempted to ask if there was an enforcer watching them. If that were the case, he could easily have followed her scent to the farm.

Chloe stopped listening to him after she was granted permission. ‘Clark, will you come over?’ she asked. Worried about the danger to his parents, she thought, ‘Check the property first.’

======

Clark went downstairs when he heard Kal. His parents hadn’t expected to see him again tonight. Handing the letter to Martha, he stated, “It might be easier to understand if you read this.” After he was certain, she understood, he said, “I’m going over to Chloes.”

Clark’s steps faltered when he heard her voice in his head. He smiled since she wanted him to come over and then frowned at the implied meaning of the property. Tilting his head, he listened for any strange noises. Shelby would alert his parents if any wolves suddenly appeared. “Chloe thinks one of her kind might have followed her. I’m going to check the property but just in case don’t open the door for anyone,” Clark warned.

Opening the door, Clark stepped out onto the porch. After scanning the area, he shot into the air.

======

Clark flew into her bedroom window and smiled at his son who noticed him before Chloe. His grin became larger when Kal reached for him as he babbled, “Da da da da.”

Taking his son from her, Clark shifted Kal in his arms so his head was resting against his shoulder. Once Kal was firmly against him, he took the phone and placed it at his ear. Switching his vision, he reached for her wrist to assess the damage. His thumb glided over the skin in a soothing gesture while he watched in amazement as her bone healed itself. His eyes switched back to their normal blue-green as he looked into her eyes. ‘It’s healing.’

=====

Chloe swore that Clark just flew in her window. She wondered what the royal blue color of his eyes meant and how he was aware that the crushed bone in her wrist was now healing. If she shifted into wolf form the bone would heal much faster.

======

Clark saw surprise in her hazel eyes. His eyebrow rose in question as he wondered what else he still had to learn about her secret. It was time she learned everything about his secret.


	4. Chapter 4

Tonight their schedule was off; normally, they would have already eaten. Kal would have had his bath, been dressed in his pjs and most of the way to dream land. Instead, dinner was just about to come out of the oven. 

Due to her earlier activities, not only had Chloe worked up an appetite, but she’d also been late in starting dinner. She berated herself for the lack of self-control. ‘What is it about the farm boy that makes me act this way?’

She never should have indulged in her desires for him. But her tight control had slipped and she hadn’t managed to regain it. His scent surrounded, reminded, and teased her as she fought to focus. 

Quickly, her mood changed as she reached for Kal. Her eyes narrowed slightly, the only outward sign of her rising frustration. Clark made her feel like she was playing a game of tug of war with him. “Dinner is just about done. You can take his shirt off and bring him downstairs,” Chloe demanded. 

=====

Clark glanced down at Kal. ‘I should have let your mom take you.’ He was absolutely clueless on how to approach this. Squatting down, he sat Kal on the bed and moved his hand to the bottom of his t-shirt. After lifting Kal’s arms with one hand, he pulled the t-shirt over his head with his other hand, and then tossed the shirt onto the bed.

Kal scrambled off the bed. He looked toward the door and then up at Clark. Before Kal could decide if he wanted to bolt, Clark had him again.

When they entered the kitchen, Kal lifted his head from his dad’s chest. His small hands gripped the shirt tighter. It took several tries to complete the simple task of putting him in his highchair.

Kal wasn’t happy. His small hands rubbed his eyes as his bottom lip formed a pout. He reached out toward Clark. His attention shifted upon smelling food, though. His eyes were focused completely on Chloe until the plastic plate came into view.

======

Watching Kal, Clark was unable to decide if Kal was eating or wearing more of his food. His attention was drawn to Chloe when she asked, “Do you want some?” 

His stomach growled and reminded him that he hadn’t eaten. Nodding his head, he moved over to the counter to make himself a plate. After putting ribs and potatoes on a plate he went back over to the table and sat down across from her. He asked teasingly, “No veggies?”

Shaking her head, Chloe swallowed and then replied, “There were only green beans. Kal doesn’t like them.” Occasionally, she ate vegetables but was more of a meat eater.

“Kal is wearing as much as he is eating,” Clark commented.

“Yeah, Kal needs a bath and then bed,” Chloe replied. She wasn’t surprised when Kal shook his head no. 

“Doesn’t like baths?” Clark asked.

“Sometimes. Tonight he’s overly tired,” Chloe answered and then teased, “Earlier, someone kidnapped him, and messed his schedule up more.”

His cheeks flushed with color as Clark stammered, “Umm… I wasn’t really myself.”

“You are definitely going to have to explain. One minute you’re Clark and then it’s `Kal` and then it’s Kal-El.” Looking directly into his eyes, she stated, “Beginning to think you have a multiple personality disorder.” Getting up from the table, Chloe asked, “Do you want to give him a bath?” Setting her plate in the sink, she turned and suggested, “If you do, I’d take your shirt off.”

Clark nodded his head yes. ‘Can’t be that hard.’ Pushing his chair back, Clark picked up his plate. He stopped and looked at Kal when she mentioned him taking off his shirt.

Kal had managed to get potatoes and meat in his curly hair. There was sauce on his face, chest, arms, and hands. He reached out for Clark and stuck his bottom lip out in a pout when he was unable to reach him. His frustration was voiced with a higher pitched, “Daa…Ddaa...”

Clark smirked, and replied, “You just want me to take off my clothes.” Putting his plate on the counter, he stripped off his shirt and then placed it over the back of the chair. His ears started to ring as Kal’s whine became louder and affected his super hearing

Clark smirked as Kal practically jumped into his arms when freed from the highchair. Looking down at him, he said, “Dad’s gonna give you a bath.” He couldn’t help but grin when Kal stared at him with huge eyes and responded, “No.” Raising his eyebrow, he said, “That’s why you shouldn’t wear your food.”

Watching Clark interact with Kal made Chloe smile. She’d clean up from dinner while Clark gave Kal a bath. After a few minutes, she was tempted to go peek in on them.

====

Closing the bathroom door, Clark wondered what was the easiest way to accomplish the task . Shifting Kal in his arms, he started to strip him of his clothes. When only his diaper remained, he sat Kal down on the floor. As he started the water and put the plug in the drain, he noticed Kal scamper to his feet out of the corner of his eye. Catching him quickly, Clark said, “That answers that question. Guess you can walk and run.”

Clark stripped off Kal’s diaper and knelt next to the tub. He checked the temperature and adjusted the water, waited a few moments and shut it off. Setting Kal in the tub, he reached for a cup resting on the edge and grabbed several bath toys out of a basket. Placing the toys in the water, he said, “Toys.”

Kal watched the turtle, duck, frog, octopus, and crab float. Slowly, he reached for duck. He struggled to get away from Clark as his eyes were covered. He stopped when he could see again, seemingly content with the toys.

Clark worked shampoo into a lather, and covered Kal’s eyes again to rinse his hair. He discovered bath time wasn’t an easy task with Kal struggling to get away from him. ‘It probably would have been easier if I got in with you.’ Setting the cup down, he said, “All done,” as he removed his hand.

Kal dunked the octopus underneath the water. Turning toward the edge of the tub, he said, “Out.”

Clark thought Kal was too adorable and was unaware Kal was squeezing water into the octopus. “No. Have to wash your face and body first,” he responded. He dunked a washcloth into the water as Kal lifted the octopus out. As Clark wrung out the washcloth, Kal squeezed the toy and sprayed Clark with water. His eyes narrowed in mock anger as Kal started to laugh.

Bringing the washcloth to Kal’s face, Clark gently washed it. After rinsing out the cloth, he squeezed on some baby soap. He gently moved the cloth over Kal’s body and then rinsed away the bubbles. Reaching over for a towel, he asked, “Want out now?”

Instantly, Kal dropped the toy into the water and went to stand using Clark’s arm for leverage.

Clark helped Kal out of the tub and wrapped his body in the towel. Opening the bathroom door, he walked down the hall and into Chloe’s bedroom. Handing Kal to her, he said, “I’ll be right back.”

=====

Chloe blinked when Clark was gone and then back in a flash. She quickly dried off a squirming Kal. “Forgot to warn you about the octopus.” After putting a clean diaper on him, she slipped a light blue t-shirt over his head and pulled up a pair of blue-checked pajama pants up his legs.

Even without looking, Chloe knew Clark was grinning from ear to ear because Kal was wearing . flannel pants. Letting go of Kal, she said, “Kiss.” 

Kal kissed her and then scooted across the mattress to Clark. He held his arms up and gave him a kiss before laying his head down on Clark’s shoulder.

“No. You have a bed. I know it’s not your bed, but neither is your dad,” Chloe stated. She hated putting Kal in the playpen and believed he was too big for it. It had rarely been used before she came back. “I only brought the playpen so I could make certain Kal wouldn’t get into anything. He can walk, climb stairs if he has help, and run.” Clark looked puzzled, and Chloe added, “He’s nineteen months old.”

He didn’t see anything wrong with Kal falling asleep in his arms. Looking down, he commented, “He’s almost asleep now.” Squatting down, he gently laid Kal on the air mattress and pulled the covers over him.

“Kal will want to go to sleep that way every night,” Chloe warned.

Pulling back the covers to her bed, she asked, “You want to get comfortable so we can talk?” His obvious nervousness made her curious. “Relax,” Chloe said while rearranging the pillows. 

Clark must think she was setting up some seduction scene. The lights were turned off and flames flickered from scented candles that made the room smell like fresh baked pumpkin pecan waffles. 

“I turned the lights out so Kal can sleep. The candles add light and smell good,” Chloe explained. The vision of her other allowed her to see in the dark if she wanted.

=====

After kicking off his boots, Clark sat on her bed. Taking her hand in his, he said, “We have a lot to talk about.” There were so many things he still needed to know about Kal and her. His gut told him a big chunk of information was missing. If Mr. Sullivan wasn’t her father, then why hadn’t her real family missed her?

Clark had waited long enough to reveal his secret, and hoped if he let her in on his, she’d feel more comfortable sharing hers. “I’m not meteor infected. I’m not even human.” The curiosity was written in her eyes, but he could see Chloe was trying to wait for him to finish. “I’m an alien from the planet Krypton. The meteor shower hid my spaceship.”

Chloe whispered to herself about his origins. “If he’s from Krypton that means our son is half skinwalker and half Kryptonian. Will it affect his transformation?”

“My abilities are invulnerability, super hearing, smell, breath, strength, speed, defying gravity, flying, heat vision, and x-ray vision. Oh and I’m bulletproof.” Clark rattled off. He smirked when Chloe was rendered speechless again. He gulped when her eyes suddenly narrowed; she obviously didn’t see the humor.

“All those and you were putty in my hands earlier,” Chloe teased.

“That wasn’t the only time,” Clark replied.

“True. I was in heat,” Chloe explained. 

Clark raised an eyebrow as he asked, “What does that mean?”

“Do you want the simple version or Biology 101?” Chloe asked. 

“Simple,” Clark answered. 

“Humans have their periods every month,” Chloe started. She giggled at the look of disgust that crossed his handsome face. “I don’t get one. My heat is a cycle so if I’m not pregnant it just starts over again,” she said, always secretly loving it.

“So in about six weeks I will be in estrus, which is the pheromone stage. It lasts for around two weeks.”

Clark’s mind flashed back to Metropolis. His heart beat faster as he realized there would be two weeks where she was irresistible. He couldn’t imagine not wanting her. Wanting to be certain, he asked, “So, the pheromones was what happened when I was `Kal`?”

“You still need to explain that, but I’m not done.” She paused momentarily before she continued by saying, “My cycle is like a wolf so… I can conceive multiple times.”

Clark breathed in and then slowly exhaled. Two weeks where she made him lose total control. His mind was racing almost as fast as his heart. It sped up faster as she mentioned multiple conceptions. “Multiple births…” Clark whispered.

Nodding her head, Chloe said, “Compare to puppies, you know, litters.” 

The candle light barely hid the mild blush that adorned her face. Sweat started to form on his forehead. 

“Max I have seen is four pups. According to what they teach, the max can be six,” Chloe explained. She allowed her eyes to glow as she stated, “You will be one dead alien if I have that many.”

Clark gulped before he teased, “In two months, I get the pleasure of being putty in your hands again.” He was trying to lighten the sudden tension. All this talk was putting his mind on a very distracting track. Attempting to change the mood, he teased, “Live in a big house?”

“Six bedrooms. The pack argued for years over who owned the rights to my family estate,” she informed him.“Explain the multiple personalities.”

=====

His eyebrow rose, Chloe was purposely changing the subject. Clark was tempted to press the issue but decided to wait. “The day of Lex’s wedding, I blew up my spaceship. My mom and dad were caught within the shockwave from the blast. My dad had a few scrapes and bruises but my mom was pregnant and lost the baby.”

He flashed back to that day, recalling the exact look on his dad’s face. “When I was at the hospital, my dad looked at me with contempt. It made me feel like I wasn’t human. I know I’m not, but he’d never made me feel that way before,” Clark explained. His careless and reckless actions that day still bothered him.

“Unable to deal with the guilt, I slipped on the class ring and drugged myself,” Clark stated. ‘The sensation of red-K flowing into my veins made my guilt disappear.’ “I didn’t want to be Clark Kent. I was `Kal`,” Clark stated.

He stared at the flickering shadows on the wall remembering his crimes and misdeeds that summer. “I did so many things I’m not proud of,” Clark commented. 

Reaching over, he took her hand and touched the stone. “Then you found me,” Clark recalled. “This is that ring.” Once again, he was stunned by the lack of a rush. Slowly looking up at her, he asked, “You’ve worn this ever since?”

=====

Chloe fixated on the ring, now understanding the reason for Jonathan’s obsession with her ring. ‘I caused Kal’s eyes to be red.’ She’d assumed that day the ring was the reason for his sudden personality change. After taking the ring, she’d watched him sleep, then scared by the persistent desire to repeat their activities, she’d run.

“I thought the red was like the green. The reason for your personality change,” Chloe admitted. “But I thought my other would make me immune,” she said. Anger rose within her at what she’d inadvertently done. “I drugged him.”

Wrapping his arm around her, Clark hugged Chloe close “You didn’t know,” Clark stated. “Did you have a normal pregnancy?”

Chloe listened to his heart beating. Shrugging her shoulders, she answered, “I guess. I thought he was an active baby.” She’d had nothing to compare her pregnancy to. “The doctor said everything was normal, though he never could get blood from me.”

“Kal must have my invulnerability - must’ve passed it to you while you were pregnant,” Clark stated. 

Chloe grimaced as she remembered the labor. She definitely wasn’t looking forward to the birthing aspect of pregnancy again, especially if she conceived more than one pup. “My labor was eighteen hours and painful,” Chloe stated. 

“I’m self-healing and if I shift the healing process is faster, so after he was born, I shifted and healed overnight. I think you and I must have similar strength, because Kal already exhibits skinwalker strength which is unusual for my kind we generally get our super strength after our transformation. Usually he wouldn’t be this strong already.”

“So, if we are of comparable strength, is that how you penetrated my invulnerability? Or do you think it’s something else?”

“Maybe. I have heightened hearing, smell, and vision, too,” Chloe stated. She believed that covered everything but her weaknesses. She thought, ‘If you have any weaknesses, I don’t need to know. I wouldn’t want the pack to discover it.’

Clark asked, “How come I keep hearing you in my head?”

“Telepathic link between mates. There is a telepathic link for the pack but you shouldn’t hear that. Kal won’t be telepathic till after his first flip.”

“Can you block the pack’s link? Hearing them all the time would get obnoxious.” He frowned. “If I can’t hear the pack, does that mean I won’t hear Kal?”

“I’m not sure. He’s already unusual for a skinwalker. I don’t think there’s any way to tell yet.” Knowing it was late, Chloe asked, “Are you staying or going home?”

“Staying,” Clark answered. His mouth dropped open when Chloe pulled her tank top over her head.

“Something the matter?” Chloe asked teasingly. The question was rhetorical; she’d heard his heart jump and speed up. Wiggling out of her mini skirt, she climbed into bed and watched him.

Undoing his belt, he pushed his jeans and boxers over his hips and let them fall. Slipping into the bed next to her, he brought the covers up over their bodies and moved closer to her.

Chloe snuggled into his body. A small moan slipped past her lips as his hand traveled down over her hip. She bit into her bottom lip when he lifted her leg and shifted their bodies just slightly. “Something you want, farm boy?” Chloe teases.

Clark captured her mouth in a demanding kiss. ‘Same thing you want Chlo…’

‘I was thinking sleep…this works too…’ Her body craved him like she craved coffee. If Clark decided not to come with her, she didn’t know how she would survive.


	5. Chapter 5

Kal threw his Bamm Bamm and Pebbles comforter away from his body. Scooting off the air mattress, he walked to the end of her bed and climbed up. Kneeling at the foot of the bed, he looked at his parents and squinted, wrinkling his forehead in determination. He needed to formulate a new plan of attack. 

Each morning, Kal claimed the spot his dad currently occupied. Lying there, he waited and watched his mom. He studied her, trying to decide if she was awake and how long before he attacked. She was his prey but he rarely managed to pounce first.

Generally, Chloe allowed Kal a few moments. She would count to ten in her head. If she reached ten before Kal pounced she would reach out and grab him. “Got you!” Chloe would whisper.

Kal had been caught by the tickle monster in the past. His laughter would fill the room as her hands tickled him. He always squirmed in his attempts to get away.

Now, Kal has to figure out a new routine. Crawling up the middle, he wiggled his way in between them. He looked at his mom and then turned his head to look at his dad. Watching them, he tried to decide which one of them to attack.

======

Last night was the best night’s sleep Chloe’d had in two years. She’d enjoyed snuggling in Clark’s arms and listening to the steady rhythm of his heart as sleep claimed her. Waking in his arms, she wanted to pretend to still be asleep. She didn’t want to leave his embrace, but his breathing informed her that Clark was already awake. 

The rooster on the farm always woke Clark. The sensation of waking with Chloe in his arms was new to him. His body slowly came to consciousness, making him aware of her closeness. He’d woken with a morning erection before, but with her body pressed tightly against his, every fiber of his being come alive with aching need.

Clark tried to determine if Chloe was awake. His hand slowly moved down over her hip and his fingers teased over the skin of her upper thigh. Reaching her knee, he went to lift her leg when he heard Kal moving next to them. He bit into his bottom lip to keep his groan of frustration under tight wraps.

Chloe was tempted to laugh when Kal took the decision out of their hands. Kal was always an early riser. She’d often wondered if Kal inherited his early morning sleeping habits from Clark.  
Clark used his hearing to try to determine what Kal was doing. He felt the added weight at the end of the mattress and wondered what Kal was going to do. His curiosity rose when Chloe informed him through their link that he was currently in Kal’s spot. ‘He’ll have to get used to it. I have every intention of waking up like this every morning.’

Clark almost growled when Chloe teased, ‘Getting interrupted?’ Obviously he would have to wake before Kal if he wanted her in the mornings. He loosened his hold on her body when Kal wiggled his way in between them. ‘What’s he doing?’

‘Trying to decide which one of us he is going to wake up.’ Chloe quickly informed him that she counted to ten before grabbing and tickling Kal.

Clark wondered who would be Kal’s target. He started to count as Chloe instructed and then reached out to tickle Kal.

Counting to ten, Chloe waited to discover if Kal would pounce before she or Clark reached ten. She was curious who Kal would choose. Reaching out at the same time as Clark, she tickled Kal.

Two arms wrapped around Kal just as he was about to pounce on his mom. He squealed and squirmed as they tickled him. His body fell back against the mattress when they stopped tickling him. He waited, knowing his mom would be getting out of bed. Turning his head, he watched Clark curiously. 

Chloe grabbed a red sundress with a ruffled hem. Her skin bristled with the heated caress of Clark’s admiration of her curves. She quickly slipped the thin-strapped red sundress over her head. The smooth silky material clung to her body as she slipped her feet into a pair of black cowboy boots.

Clark couldn’t resist the pleasure of allowing his eyes to roam over her. Sensing that Kal was watching him, he looked down at him. “Good morning. Are you trying to figure out how to tell me to get up?” he asked.

Clark grinned when Kal nodded his head yes. Slipping from underneath the covers, he grabbed his discarded clothing. Stepping into his boxers and jeans, he willed his body not to respond to her gaze.

Her eyes fell to the spot that Clark had abandoned to get dressed. Sneaking a glance at Clark, she allowed her eyes to rake over him before turning her attention to Kal. Removing the pjs from Kal’s body, she changed his diaper. She couldn’t wait till he was ready to be potty trained. After dressing him, she asked, “Want breakfast?”

Nodding his head yes, Kal sat up and watched Chloe walk across the room. Not wanting to be babied, he tried to inform Clark with his eyes that he wanted to do everything himself. Kal scooted off the bed to stand at the end. Stepping away from the bed, he walked as fast as his little legs would allow past Clark and attempted to stay out of his reach.

Opening the bedroom door, her nostrils filled with the scent of coffee. Chloe hoped Gabe wouldn’t be too angry with her. Her enhanced hearing detected his mumbles of irritation. Looking back at the bed, she was relieved Kal wasn’t going to play “I’m a baby.”

Clark watched Kal, thinking he was going to bolt the second the door opened. He was tempted to pick Kal up. It would be easier to carry him downstairs. His suspicion was confirmed seconds later. He smiled at Kal’s obvious independence and was curious if his tiredness yesterday was the cause of his desire to be held. 

He followed Kal into the hallway where he found Kal standing with his feet firmly planted an inch from the stairs. It was obvious to Clark that Kal wanted to do the task himself.

Shaking his head no, Kal said, “I do it.” He took a step forward and attempted to duck by Chloe. His face scrunched in annoyance when she wouldn’t let him. Sensing Clark behind him, he turned his head and repeated, “I do it.”

Clark figured they would be at a standstill if he didn’t allow Kal to attempt the stairs by himself. He could tell Chloe didn’t want Kal to stumble down the stairs. Figuring super speed would help him catch his son if necessary, he suggested, “I’ll follow behind him.”.

Kal waited till Chloe went downstairs and then moved closer to the stairs. Reaching up, he discovered the railing was just out of his reach. Determined to do it by himself, he moved closer to the wall. Placing his hand against the wall, he stepped down. He repeated the process until he reached the floor.

Clark followed Kal down the stairs allowing him enough room to accomplish the task by himself. He watched him run across the room to Chloe. Seeing how fast his little legs carried him, Clark thought he was pretty fast, even without super speed. 

=====

Kal sported a huge grin as he looked up at Chloe and then said, “I did it.” He seemed unaware of the tension between his mom and Gabe. 

“You did,” Chloe said as she picked him up. Putting Kal in his highchair, she secured him in the seat and pushed the tray firmly into place. She gave him a blueberry muffin and his sippy cup of milk.

His eyes lit up when she gave him the blueberry muffin. The muffins were one of his favorites baked goods. He had no idea they were made by his grandmother. Breaking a piece off the muffin, he started to eat it.

Never a big fan of milk, he pushed the cup away from his muffin. “No, juice,” he stated before continuing to eat his muffin. He was irked when Chloe pushed it back toward him. Pushing the cup away again, he repeated, “No. Juice.”

Two little creases formed between his eyebrows as he contemplated throwing the cup. He kept looking from the cup to her as he reached for it.

Kal grasped the cup and pulled his arm back to throw it. He froze when Clark moved into his path and blocked Chloe. Setting the cup down, he stuck his bottom lip out in a pout and gave his best pleading puppy dog eyes. 

It usually worked with mom. Today, it didn’t seem to be working. He decided to see if Dad would give him what he wanted and said, “Dada, juice.”

Clark set his coffee mug on the counter. He’d been watching Kal hold onto the muffin tightly and his attempts to get rid of the milk. Even though he thought the pout and puppy dog eyes were adorable, he had no intention of giving in. Smirking, he picked up the sippy cup and placed it back down in front of Kal. “Drink your milk,” Clark stated firmly.

Clark reached into the brown bag to get a muffin. His eyebrow rose when Kal informed him the muffins were his. He couldn’t blame Kal - Clark’s mom baked them. Nobody baked anything better than her. “These are made by my mom: your grandma,” Clark said as he peeled the paper from around the muffin.

Kal stared unhappily at Clark. He couldn’t get the drink he wanted and his muffins were being eaten. His eyes showed curiosity. His fingers wrapped around the cup as he gripped it in his small hand. Bringing the cup to his mouth, he drank some and then placed it back on the tray. “Juice.”

Clark continued to eat, knowing there was still milk in the cup. ‘He doesn’t like milk?’ He almost choked when he heard, ‘Kal only cared for breast milk.’ Images flooded his mind of Kal as a baby nestled at Chloe’s breasts, and he was displeased at missing those occasions. Picking up his mug, he sipped his coffee. He waited to see how long it would be before Kal realized no one was giving in to him. Moving away from the counter, he headed into the living room.

=====

Chloe sipped her coffee, sensing Clark’s discomfort for the parts of Kal’s life he’d missed. She had no desire to deprive him anymore. Gabe obviously didn’t want Clark in his home. She couldn’t shake the expression on Gabe’s face.

The distinct scent of his fear lingered in the air. Did my time away give me better perspective on certain scents? She'd been back in her seemingly abandoned ancestral home during her pregnancy. She’d gone through some of the rooms, opening doors long closed. There were still discoveries about her biological family to be made, yet there was one room she’d feared opening - the bedroom she'd shared with her twin sister. Her time away had loosened the tight hold she’d always kept on her other.

She realized now that even though Gabe treated her like his daughter, he'd always feared her other. At first, she’d chalked it up as surprise at her return, but the tension had built with each passing day. The breaking point could have been when Clark had taken Kal. She cared deeply for Gabe; however, she couldn’t live her life the way he wanted.

It didn't help matters that Gabe was slowly dying. The scent of death hung in the air around him, mixing with the fear and irritating her other. She wanted to stay for Clark but couldn’t deny this was no longer her home.

Her course decided, Chloe set her mug on the counter. Releasing Kal from his highchair, she watched him head into the living room and gather his toys. 

Kal managed to carry the fire truck, school bus, dump truck, and tractor over to Clark before he plopped down between Clark's feet. One hand gripped the tractor and the other the denim of Clark's jeans. 

Walking into the living room, she sat down next to Clark and slipped her hand in his.

=====

Gabe had had his suspicions that Clark was Kal's father. Until he sat watching Kal and Clark together, he hadn’t consciously noted the resemblance. Maybe in the back of his mind he’d put two and two together. Now he believed the danger would be even greater.

His own life was not what concerned him. After all, he was sick - dying. Each night he laid his head down could be the last. If the pack decided he needed to be silenced, he'd welcome the unavoidable verdict of death. It lay in wait for him anyway.

However, the Kents were one of the few families in Smallville he considered friends. Unable to hold his tongue, he yelled, "Your selfishness is going to get the Kents killed!"

=====

The sudden outburst made Kal jump and grip the denim tighter in his fist. Clark looked down at him and saw Kal had stopped playing with his tractor. His reaction didn’t sit well with the Kryptonian. His eyes narrowed as his attention moved to Gabe. “You don’t need to yell,” Clark stated.

Clark wanted to inform Gabe that Chloe wasn’t getting anyone killed, but he couldn’t divulge his secret. His parents could protect themselves. The pack didn’t want their secret exposed and his parents were experts at keeping secrets. “What gives you the right?” Clark demanded.

“Kal is my son!” Clark continued sternly. The tone of his voice left no room for argument, making clear his conviction to remain a part of Kal’s life. Clark’s personal life was none of Gabe’s business. No one had the right to keep him away from Chloe or Kal.

Clark sensed that Chloe didn’t want to argue with Gabe. Through their link, he heard Chloe tell him that she’d spoken with Sherman last night. He’d assumed as much when she asked him to come over. ‘Stay at the farm.’ He almost laughed aloud when she asked, ‘Your parents won’t mind?’

Instead of answering her, Clark informed Gabe, “My parents want to spend time with their grandson.” The vein started to bulge at the side of his neck and his eyes begin to itch. Attempting to rein in his temper, he closed his eyes and breathed slowly.

Clark opened his eyes again once he had his heat vision under control. “You have no right to tell Chloe not to speak to me or my parents,” Clark said angrily. His arms crossed over his chest as he continued, “If you want them to leave that badly. They can stay at the farm.”

His posture left no room for argument as Gabe stared at him. He didn’t imagine this argument was doing Gabe any favors. He was getting himself worked up over things he had no control over. Clark squeezed her hand gently when Chloe said, “This is your house and I respect that. I think it’s best if Kal and I left.”

Nodding his head in agreement, Clark stated, “Chloe can pack and I’ll load her car. We will be out of here as soon as possible.” He smirked when Gabe concluded it was pointless to argue with him.

=====

Folding the high chair, Chloe glanced around the kitchen. Opening the fridge, she took out a jug of apple juice, berry punch, and her macadamia nut coffee creamer. Opening the cupboard, she took down a bag of ground mocha java coffee and set it with the bag of muffins. Opening the cupboard under the sink, she grabbed a couple plastic bags and put everything into the bags.

Chloe placed the bags next to the high chair before grabbing a box from the pantry. She packed the box with sippy-cups, her spill-proof mug, and the bowls, plates, and cups Kal used to eat. Picking up the box, she set it down with the other items. After double checking the kitchen, she went upstairs.

Chloe packed the blankets and sheets belonging to Kal in a knapsack. She gathered a few remaining toys scattered around her room and stuffed them in another bag. She set the knapsacks on her bed along with the suitcases, diaper bag, playpen and deflated air mattress.

Certain she had everything ready for Clark, she went into the bathroom to get Kal’s bath toys, baby shampoo, body wash and lotion and her personal items. Going downstairs, she told Clark that everything on her bed was ready to go. She double-checked the living room as Clark loaded her car. 

Chloe had mixed emotions about leaving. She was tired of Gabe’s attitude concerning the pack. No one was going to be killed because of her decision to allow Clark to be a part of their lives. She felt Gabe was attempting to push her toward leaving Smallville, like he had two years ago. He was entitled to his opinion but had no right to push it on her. Kal followed Clark out the door, paying no attention to the tension. “Guess this is good-bye,” she said sadly.

“You should go back,” Gabe said angrily.


	6. Chapter 6

The rooster crowed, making Jonathan groan softly before slipping the covers from his body and climbing out of bed. Still demanding sleep, his body protested as he dressed. This morning, he felt the years in his bones. _I’m no longer a spring chicken._ Morning came too soon after the late night discussion.

His deepest regret with Chloe was about Clark’s secret. If she’d spoken with Clark, things would have been much different. In his opinion, Gabe was the main reason she’d never spoken to him. He couldn’t shake his impression that the pack hadn’t been aware of her location.

His accusation about Chloe being selfish was exactly the opposite of the truth. Now, he realized, Chloe believed she’d been sparing them from harm. His pride made him want to scream from the rooftops of his ability to protect his family. After all, he’d protected Clark all these years.

It was too late for that now. Life couldn’t be second guessed any more than questioning everything with what ifs. He would do everything within his power to protect her secret, his grandson, and to get to know him.

His concern was for what had happened to her family. He couldn’t understand how parents wouldn’t turn over every stone to find their child. His own desperation to find Clark came to mind. There was a sense of dread with the only logical conclusion: her family was dead.

He was saddened by the knowledge that Chloe and Kal would be leaving sooner or later. Understanding why was easier now, since denying Clark an opportunity to be with other Kryptonians was something he might worry about but couldn’t deny him.

He had no intention of viewing their grandson’s life through pictures, though. The pack would just have to deal with them coming to visit. After all, he and Martha were already excellent secret keepers.

======

Clark was slightly amused when Kal protested about being picked up. Opening the car door, he sat him in the car seat. He’d figured the task would be simple but found it wasn’t as easy as he’d hoped, something he was discovering with a lot of things concerning Kal. The instant his hands moved, Kal attempted to get out.

Holding Kal with one hand, he slipped the straps over his head and secured them into place before slipping his hand away. Super speed was tempting when Kal squirmed in an attempt to free himself. Pushing the clasp through the slot, he buckled him.

Looking down, Kal tried to figure out how to undo the buckle. “Out,” he demanded.

Shaking his head no, Clark figured it was good thing Kal didn’t know how to access super strength. He would be certain to free himself then. “We are going to my house to meet your grandma and grandpa,” he explained. Taking out his cellphone, he called his mom.

======

Martha sat at the table slowly drinking her morning coffee. She chastised herself for staying up so late last night. Her body wasn’t as young as it used to be. Sipping her coffee, she wondered if Jonathan was feeling the effects of their late night chat, too.

Martha was shocked to discover that Chloe was a skinwalker. Once before, she’d come in contact with a skinwalker when Clark had discovered the caves. The experience had not been a pleasant one. The memory of a white wolf snarling and baring its teeth at her from the hood of her car caused a chill to run down her spine. Her experience made her sympathetic with Gabe. It only went so far, though.

Her impression was the same as Jonathan - Gabe had discouraged Chloe from contacting Clark. She thoroughly believed Clark might have the talisman. Though even if that was correct, Sherman Blackstone obviously knew Chloe was in Smallville. She knew her speculations were irrelevant but couldn’t stop herself from wondering what could have happened if Chloe had spoken with Clark.

Martha wondered why Sherman Blackstone had sent Chloe back to Smallville. She was suspicious that the reason was her son. Had her grandson exhibited some of Clark’s abilities? The other thoughts that came to mind were less pleasant. Had the pack suddenly decided that Gabe was a threat? She highly doubted the Alpha had allowed Chloe to return to Smallville out of the goodness of his heart.

Martha couldn’t help but feel blessed by the opportunity that her return presented. She had a grandson. Something she had never believed would be possible with her son’s Kyrptonian heritage. She pondered if the reason for Kal’s existence was that Chloe was no more human than Clark even though, just like Clark, she gave the appearance of being human.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the phone ringing. Getting up from the table, she picked up the receiver and said, “Hello.” Hearing Clark on the other end, she couldn’t help but smile. 

=======

After feeding the livestock, Jonathan went inside desperate for caffeine. Noticing Martha on the phone, he wondered if she was talking with Clark. After filling his mug with fresh coffee, he sat down at the table. 

Hanging up the phone, Martha went over to the table and sat down across from Jonathan. “Clark wanted to make certain we wouldn’t mind if Chloe and Kal stayed with us for a while,” she explained. She’d told Clark not to be ridiculous. Of course Chloe and Kal could stay, for as long as they wanted. “Gabe was not pleased that Clark was there.”

Jonathan wasn’t surprised. He guessed Clark had asked to reassure Chloe. Recalling how Martha had asked Chloe last night to bring Kal here, he realized something must have changed. “Chloe insisted she couldn’t bring Kal here.”

Martha knew Jonathan wasn’t complaining about the prospective visit. He was just curious what had changed since last night. It didn’t matter to her what the reasons might be. She simply wanted to meet her grandson.

He’d been married to Martha long enough to know her body language. It was obvious that she had the same suspicions. “I’m sure we'll find out when they get here,” Jonathan said.

Martha didn’t want to make Chloe feel uncomfortable with a bunch of questions. Especially if she might feel answering would place either her or Jonathan in danger from the pack. “I don’t think we should put her on the spot with a bunch of questions,” she suggested.

=======

Chloe drove lost in her thoughts. Had she used the tension between Gabe and herself as an excuse to leave? His issues with the pack were valid. She wasn’t aware how much Sherman had told him about her past but suspected he knew what the pack had done. Years ago, in the first few weeks she’d lived with him, Gabe had comforted her when she woke screaming in terror from her memories.

A chill ran down her spine at the vivid image of a small cabin in the woods totally engulfed in flames. Her knuckles turned white as she gripped the steering wheel tighter. She attempted to lock those memories tightly away where she’d buried them when she was thirteen. Her past didn’t help her current situation; if anything, it validated Gabe’s fears. Fears which had started when he discovered she’d lost the talisman.

She’d never told Gabe the pack had believed she was dead until the day she returned. It might make him feel guilty for his insistence on her return to Wolf Lake. If she was honest, she’d only visited because Sherman had insisted. His health was deteriorating so rapidly that she’d given in, and she suspected the pack had had him poisoned. Gabe’s attitude was making him a liability.

Once she’d arrived, she kept thinking up reasons to leave. It would be harder with every day that passed. Clark tempted her with every breath she took.Clark taking Kal had forced her to speak with the Alpha, and the reassurances she’d been given had made her feel slightly better. If the pack kept their word.

Her lack of a home here in Smallville made her feel like a hindrance. She’d never planned to stay anywhere besides Gabe’s. All the disruptions in Kal’s daily routine were unfair to him. He’d had to share a room. Gabe’s back yard had no play area, so Kal couldn’t play outside. Most of his favorite toys and playthings were at their home in Wolf Lake. Now they’d be moving to the farm.

She believed being on the farm would be good for him, though. He’d get to meet his grandparents, and spend time with them. There were animals Clark could show him. Maybe he could even take Kal horseback riding. It might be something he would enjoy and couldn’t do at home. Animals tended to sense their Others.

Deep down she was aware their stay wouldn’t be much longer, but she really didn’t want to admit the awful truth. Ultimately, she’d come for a funeral, and that would sever the last tie Chloe Sullivan had to Smallville. She’d even started using her family last name, Duvall, after returning to Wolf Lake, so once she and Kal returned to Wolf Lake, Chloe Sullivan would cease to exist - yet another detail she’d forgotten to tell Clark when they talked about her family.

======

Clark watched Chloe, wondering why she was so quiet. He was concerned about Gabe’s treatment of her earlier, his insistence that she was going to get everyone killed. She’d warned Clark about what the pack would do to people they perceived as a threat. In his opinion, Gabe’s ranting now didn’t bode well for him. 

Normally, he would be concerned for Gabe, but his suspicion that Gabe had pushed Chloe to leave without talking to him angered him, making his judgment cloudy. His apprehension was how these issues were affecting her.

He couldn’t help but compare their situations. His parents were not related to him by blood, yet they’d never treated him with the unspoken fear that he’d witnessed in Gabe. Even on his worst days, when he was infected with Red-K, or when he’d been reprogrammed by Jor-El. His parents hadn’t always been happy with the choices he’d made but they’d always supported him.

The comparison made Clark wonder once again what had happened to her family. His stomach flipped when he sensed an almost sickening terror. He heard the unmistakable crunch of the metal steering wheel. He wished she would tell him what was bothering her.

Reaching over, he slipped his hand into hers. In an attempt to get her to talk to him, he teased, “Chloe Sullivan lost for words.” He was shocked when Chloe baldly informed him her last name was Duvall. He suspected her reasons for changing her name were connected to the pack. Their connection told him she wanted to keep their verbal conversations about the pack to a minimum.

Clark squeezed her hand, reassuring her. “Your last name makes no difference to me,” he said with sincerity. He didn’t want there to be any more secrets between them. “I won’t push, but whatever is eating at you can’t be put to rest till you deal with it,” he stated.

Clark sensed Chloe agreeing with him, but there was more, too. “Stop thinking you are imposing. You’re family.” He sensed her unspoken words and informed her mentally, _‘they don’t care how long either.’_ There were a few things he needed to discuss with his parents before leaving Smallville, but he told her, “I plan on leaving with you.”

========

Martha set a fresh batch of blueberry muffins on a wire rack to cool and put an apple pie into the oven. She’d tried to busy herself to help dispel the anxiety about meeting her grandson. She smiled, knowing Jonathan would accuse her of fussing.

She’d opened and closed the fridge several times, contemplating what to make for dinner. Finally, she decided on chicken, baked potatoes, and corn on the cob, something she could almost make in her sleep. She could get most of it prepped before their arrival. Honestly, there wasn’t much left for her to do now.

Her thoughts turned to the house - it wasn’t child proof, but she didn’t think there was much that would be a problem. Thinking about stuff Kal could play with, most of Clark’s toys were somewhere in the attic. It would be faster and simpler for her to send Clark up there.

Lost in her thoughts, she failed to hear the car pulling into the driveway, but the sound of a car door closing caught her attention and she rushed outside to meet them. 

Martha wish she’d grabbed her camera.

Her grandson Kal was walking between Clark and Chloe toward the house, with a small red tractor grasped tightly in his small hand. She had to smile: though Chloe must be used to walking at Kal’s slower pace, Clark was practically scuffling his feet in the dirt in his effort to match his son’s strides.


	7. Chapter 7

Clark practically had to drag his feet to keep his pace slow. He felt like when he was a teenager and a different ability made itself known. It always took time and practice to adjust. Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at Chloe, who seemed at ease with the small strides.

Approaching the stairs to the porch, Clark considered Kal would insist on climbing the steps all by himself. He expected Kal to turn his head and glare up at him with a seriousness that matched Chloe’s determination before voicing his intent. _‘Mr. Independent.’_

Clark was proud of his son’s accomplishments but a part of him wanted his son to depend on him more. His concern was that Kal couldn’t reach the railing. Clark wondered if maybe he was being overprotective by wanting to ensure his son didn’t fall. Especially if Kal had his invulnerability as he suspected. If he did, falling down would hurt his pride more than anything.

Clark tried to remind himself that children had the occasional bump, scrape, cut, and bruise. There would be plenty of instances to come where Kal would probably fall down - all a part of growing up. Yet he couldn’t stop his aim to protect Kal. He figured that was all part of being a parent.

=======

Kal was unaware of Clark’s frustrations with walking so slowly. He paused at the steps and reached up for the railing. It annoyed him that everything was so much bigger than him.

Determined to climb on his own, he cautiously stepped up onto the first step. He was almost immediately distracted by a noise, and his body teeter-tottered when he lost his balance.

Kal quickly recovered and moved to the next step. He repeated the process until he stepped onto the porch. He looked over at Martha to give her a huge smile. He wondered who the red headed woman could be. He took a couple small steps in her direction before he stopped.

Kal looked up at Clark when he stopped next to him. He perceived Clark as a giant compared to how small he was. Hearing the word mom, he turned his head to look at Chloe. His turned back when Clark said his name. As he listened, Kal realized Clark wasn’t talking about his mom but calling the redheaded woman ‘mom.’

Kal nodded his head with the words, “My dada,” on the tip of his tongue. His curiosity deepened when Clark squatted down next to him. He played the words Clark said over in his mind. _‘My grandma.’_ Suddenly overcome with shyness, he moved closer to Clark to peek around his large frame, almost like one of his favorite games, peek-a-boo.

=======

Martha caught Clark watching Kal like a hawk. She stopped herself from saying, “The only way Kal can learn is to allow him to do it himself.” Her grandson reminded her of Clark when he was young. His eyes held the same curiosity. She reminded herself that Clark had been three when he found her and Jonathan. ‘He found us.’

Martha had so many stories about Clark being small, and she was looking forward to sharing those with Chloe. It had always been hard not having someone else besides Jonathan to tell about his accomplishments. Being the mother of such a special boy who grew into the man he is today made her very proud. She’d always had to be careful with what she revealed, something she imagined Chloe would completely understand.

Martha stopped herself from jumping to Kal’s rescue. She caught the slight movement from Clark, making her heart fill with pride. Clark was going to be an amazing father. She smiled knowingly; she’d been in his place several times. It’s only natural for a parent to want to protect his child. It was hard to allow him to stumble.

_‘His smile is just like Clark’s’,_ Martha thought.

=======

Clark instinctively went to switch into super speed. He glance at his mom wondering if she’d felt like the same. His unspoken question was answered with the smile that formed. He was busted. Her eyes informed him that Martha had almost done the same thing. He couldn’t have found better parents and hoped he would be just as good.

Martha knew that Kal was his son but Clark couldn’t stop himself from the prideful introduction. He watched Kal, aware he was listening and trying to figure out what was being said. A huge smile graced his handsome face when Kal nodded his head and moved closer to him. His actions silently said what Kal could voice if he chose to. 

Clark had attempted to explain to Kal earlier that his mom would be Kal’s grandma. He doubted that Kal had understood him then. Squatting down next to Kal, he said, “This is your grandma.” His son’s curiosity was clearly written in his eyes but his shyness showed more when Kal remained close to him. “Are you going to say hello?” he asked. 

Clark watched Kal, assuming he was trying to decide if he wanted to talk. His attention had been completely on Martha.

======

Kal quickly shook his head no before turning his attention back to watch Martha intently. He stepped even closer to Clark and turned his head slightly away when he heard, “Hi Kal. It’s nice to meet you.”

Kal looked up at Chloe when she moved to stand next to Clark. His eyes silently asked if he should. Hearing his mom say, “Kal, I know you can say hello,” didn’t change anything. He moved closer still until Clark asked him if he wanted to be picked up. His eyes narrowed in silent answer before practically speeding away from Clark.

Kal only moved far enough to be out of Clark’s reach. Moving closer again, he said loudly, “No!”

======

Chloe felt a pang of sadness. Martha would be the only grandmother that Kal could ever meet. Her son was truly blessed to have such wonderful grandparents. She’d always known that Clark was adopted and at times had been mildly envious of the unconditional love he’d received.

Gabe had always loved her but compared to the relationship she’d witnessed between Clark and the Kents, Chloe’s relationship with Gabe had been strained. Martha and Jonathan had always made her feel welcomed and loved. She made any excuse to spend time on the farm, having always felt at home there.

Everything had changed with Gabe in the blink of an eye. Clark had only felt like that once with Jonathan. She assumed that was the “argument” Jonathan had told her about when the Kents wanted desperately to find Clark. Those events had led to their son.

=======

Martha noticed the pride in her son’s voice when Clark introduced Kal to her. It was adorable how Kal clung to Clark. His actions reminded her of the game peek-a-boo. She knew Kal would start talking after he became accustomed to her and his new surroundings.

Martha glanced at Chloe when she finally spoke. She didn’t miss the sudden sadness in her eyes before Chloe hid it again. Martha suspected it was possible that Chloe had been thinking about how Kal wouldn’t know her parents.

Martha almost laughed at the expression on Kal’s cute face before he moved quickly away from Clark and then moved just as quickly back to him. It reminded her of when Clark had first played with her. Kal was making it obvious that he didn’t want to be coddled. “You can talk,” she teased.

Martha smiled at Kal when he nodded yes. “Chloe, Jonathan and I are glad you and Kal will be staying with us,” she stated sincerely. She imagined by the time their visit was over her grandson would talk a mile a minute.

======

Clark smirked when Martha teased Kal. He wasn’t surprised when Kal came right back over to him after he stood. Kal was using him as his security blanket. Glancing down, he noticed that Kal clung to his jeans before he nodded his head yes. He hoped Kal would stop being a Klingon.

His attention turned to Chloe when Clark sensed her sudden sadness. He was tempted to ask her what was bothering her but suspected it might be related to her parents since it wasn’t directed at his mom, him or Kal.

=====

Chloe smiled. “Thanks. The farm always felt like home.” She hoped Kal would like being on the farm as much as she had as a teenager. “Kal will probably start babbling up a storm in a bit. For the moment, he is being awfully shy.” 

Curious about whether Clark had been shy with Martha and Jonathan, she asked, “Was Clark shy with you at first?” Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the bashful expression cross his handsome face.

Martha smiled. Shaking her head no, she answered, “Clark was older than Kal is now. He was three.” Her first memories of Clark were some of her fondest memories of him. “Jonathan and I were hanging upside down in the truck. I looked over to see legs and feet before a naked little boy squatted down and grinned at us through the window.”

It sounded like Clark had been anything but shy. Chloe couldn’t help but wonder if their age difference was the reason. She suspected that there might have been an issue with Clark knowing the English language. “Kal knows quite a few words and can sound out just as many,” she declared.

Chloe noticed that Kal was slowly moving away from Clark. His curiosity was starting to overcome his shyness.

Martha noticed Kal take another step away from Clark. She’d been wondering how much Kal could talk until Chloe answered her unspoken question. Curious if Kal was like Clark when it came to her baked goods, she said, “If anyone is hungry I made a fresh batch of blueberry muffins.”

Clark licked his lips when his mom added, “I have an apple pie that needs to come out of the oven.” He would be more than happy to take it out of the oven. It didn’t need to even cool or be dinner time to eat her pie. He feigned innocence when Martha said, “It’s for dessert.”

“Do you like blueberry muffins or apple pie?” Martha asked.

Kal slowly moved away from Clark. He listened intently to his mom talking with Martha. Most of the words were ones he didn’t understand. He mimicked his dad with his eyebrow when he noticed the strange expression on his face.

Kal released his hold on the denim in order to lift his arm and point at his dad. “Dada ate mine,” he accused before sticking his bottom lip out in a pout and giving her his best puppy dog eyes.

Clark looked down at Kal. His son needed to learn to share. He wasn’t amused by the pout and puppy dog eyes.

Martha was delighted when Kal accused Clark of taking his muffins, making it obvious that he didn’t like to share. His pout and puppy dog eyes were classic Clark. She noticed the tractor grasped in his hand was a miniature of their tractor. “Your grandpa has a tractor like yours. Your grandpa or Dad could give you a ride on ours,” she suggested.

Martha noticed his eyes seemed to light up with excitement. She finally had Kal’s compete attention. However, she lost it in an instant with the roar of the tractor engine as Jonathan drove up the driveway.

======

Clark was contemplating his mom’s suggestion, believing it would be better if dad gave Kal a ride, as he tended to have issues with the tractor. “Grandpa could give you a ride later,” he suggested. He suspected Kal would want a ride now, though.

His mom finally had Kal’s attention only to lose it in practically two seconds. He wondered if Kal had heard the tractor coming, but hadn’t noticed him turn his head until the tractor was almost to where his dad parked it.

Kal glanced at the toy tractor in his hand before watching a much larger version pull into the driveway. _Why doesn’t my toy make the same noise?_ He wondered while watching the larger tractor steadily. His attention turned back to Clark when his dad started talking again.

Kal looked up at him hoping for a ride now. “Go?” he asked.

Jonathan walked up onto the porch. Looking down at Kal, he said, “Let grandpa get a drink and then I’ll give you a ride.” Opening the front door, he held it open and asked, “Are you going to join me?”

Kal started to follow Jonathan, after he paused to make certain his parents were coming, too. Assured they were following him, he continued. His eyes lit upon a tray full of muffins. Quickly, he moved closer, reaching upwards in hope of grabbing one, when he heard his mom tell him no.

After taking her pie out of the oven and setting it on the rack underneath the window, Martha turned her attention back to Kal. “The muffins should be cool enough if you want one,” she offered.

====

Clark brought in the high chair and several other items. He set the high chair up near the wooden butcher block table in the kitchen. When his mother offered Kal a muffin, he knew his son would want one, and he picked him up to put him in his high chair, setting the toy tractor to one side. He smiled when Kal attempted to say, please. He watched his mother give Kal a large muffin, and enjoyed the huge grin which spread over his son’s face, along with the answering smile from his mother.


	8. Chapter 8

Fresh baked apples and blueberries baked into pies and muffins teased her heightened sense of smell, making her hungrier than she already was. Chloe had missed Martha’s baked goods, which was how Kal had ended up trying the muffins. Taking the mug of freshly brewed coffee from Martha, Chloe sat down on the stool near Jonathan. Sipping the coffee, she watched Kal munch on his muffin.

Martha sat down near Kal with a fresh mug of coffee. “How old is Kal?” Martha asked before taking a sip. Kal looked directly at her when she said his name. 

“Nineteen months old,” Chloe answered. Certain that Martha and Jonathan wanted to know everything about Kal, she continued. “Kal wasn’t a fussy baby and developed normally. At seven months, he knew his name and would turn his head to look at me when I said it.” She sensed Clark’s frustration and paused to convey her regret to him.

“At eight months, he could crawl, grab onto stuff to stand. He was an eager explorer. His first word was dada,” Chloe declared.

“His first step was at fifteen months. He likes to climb, and give him a second and he will be into everything,” Chloe stated. She suspected Kal would get into stuff in Clark’s room if he woke before she and Clark did. _‘I can pick it up just as fast,’_ she heard and was tempted to roll her eyes, instead responded, _‘super speed will come in handy.’_

“His favorite pastries are Martha’s,” Chloe explained. _‘Kal definitely takes after his dad.’_ “I haven’t found any meats he really doesn’t care for, besides the obvious like liver,” she stated. _‘I’d rather starve.’_

Chloe wanted to agree with Martha when she mentioned liver was an acquired taste. She definitely didn’t have the required taste buds; hers screamed in protest and the smell made her want to vomit. 

Chloe almost laughed aloud when Clark agreed with her by grumbling, “It’s gross, and smells just as bad as it tastes.” _‘Me too.’_ She assumed that Martha had tried to get Clark to eat liver at some point.

“It’s delicious with onions,” Jonathan stated. Martha made it for him every so often. “Martha could make me some and Kal could try it,” Jonathan suggested. He snickered when Clark groaned.

Chloe didn’t know if she could stand the smell while it was cooking. Just the thought was making her stomach heave. “Kal’s favorite is venison,” she attempted to get off the subject of liver. She couldn’t help but smile when Clark said, “Kal ate Bambi.” _‘I did too.’_ “I’m not much of a veggie eater so Kal has only tried a few. His favorite is probably corn. He doesn’t care for green beans.”

======

Kal had been munching on his muffin, seemingly oblivious. Hearing a word he recognized, he repeated, “Dada.”

Clark would never get tired of hearing Kal say, “Dada.” He couldn’t help but grin when Kal looked for him. He’d heard some of what Chloe was telling his parents but didn’t mind listening again. He couldn’t help but feel sad over the missed moments. Sensing regret through their link, he understood she wished he’d had those experiences.

Martha shook her head in mock annoyance, and Clark knew she would probably be making liver and onions for Jonathan sometime soon. Clark would definitely be complaining about the smell.

“Jonathan and Clark don’t like Brussels sprouts,” Martha shared. “I love them, and Asparagus.”

=====

“Are those the little round mini cabbage ones?” Chloe asked. At Martha’s nod, she continued, “I stayed for dinner the night you tried to get Clark to eat them. I’m with Jonathan and Clark, they’re gross.”

Jonathan mentioned he’d never been one to hunt, though he enjoyed fishing. “Is hunting season different for you?” he asked. 

Chloe knew fishing was something he’d done with Clark until he learned Clark only went fishing because of him. She remembered Clark saying it was his first big argument with his father, because he’d wanted to go to a football game instead of going fishing.

“It’s always hunting season for us. I’ve never tried,” Chloe answered. There were members of the pack who thoroughly enjoyed the relish of the hunt. “I bought a piece of catfish like Jonathan used to catch but it didn’t taste that great.”

“There’s still some catfish in the freezer. We could have some the night I make Jonathan liver and onions,” Martha suggested. “Just in case Kal doesn’t like either one, it’s a good idea to have something simple to cook too.”

Chloe smiled. She didn’t want Martha to go to too much trouble cooking a bunch of different meals for them.

“I like catfish too,” Jonathan teased. He rubbed his shoulder when Martha slapped him playfully. She said, “Name one meat or fish you don’t like.” 

He was silent for a moment or two before he answered, “Duck. It’s just too greasy.”

Martha sighed, agreeing “I don’t like duck either.” 

“Never tried it,” Chloe stated. It was on the buffet table during meetings at the lodge but she had yet to try it. She assumed Clark hadn’t tried duck either when she noticed the shrug of his shoulders. Wanting to end the discussion on food, she said, “He likes all the fruits I’ve given him.”

Clark reassured Martha, “Mom, I’m sure Kal will love your cooking just as much as me. All this talk about food is starting to make me hungry.”

Chloe watched Clark eyeing the muffins, and almost laughed when Martha cut him off. 

“You can make yourself a sandwich,” Martha said.

Jonathan pushed his chair back and said, “Glad all this talk of food made someone else hungry too. Would you like me to make you one?”

“Half a sandwich,” Martha answered. “Don’t want you to ruin your appetite.”

Clark followed Jonathan to make himself and Chloe sandwiches. 

Chloe took advantage of Clark’s absence to drink her coffee. Glancing at Kal, she noticed he was just about finished eating. She was about to get up to get him a drink when Clark informed her that he’d bring Kal one.

Clark walked back over with two ham sandwiches and placed one in front of Chloe. His eyebrow rose when Chloe narrowed her eyes. “Coffee is not food,” he snarked. 

Kal looked at the cup Clark gave him skeptically. “It’s juice,” Clark reassured him. 

=====

Chloe reluctantly started to eat while informing him mentally, _‘I’ll enjoy the coffee now while I can.’_ “My least favorite part about being pregnant was my inability to drink coffee,” she declared.

Clark almost choked on his food. Her mention of pregnancy made him ponder her heats. There was a nagging feeling in his gut that Chloe might not have been informed about everything. The last few days, he’d wanted her almost as badly as in Metropolis.

Clark was almost relieved when Chloe started talking about his abilities. It was a much safer subject. He was beginning to feel like his mind had one track where all he wanted was her.

“Only thing Kal has exhibited so far is super strength,” she stated.

“I think Kal has my invulnerability too,” Clark added. His own abilities had come at puberty, which made him wonder which would happen first. “Kal probably won’t get any of my other abilities till puberty.”

The sudden shift in the air was apparent even to Clark, and Clark assumed it was because puberty had been a really rough time for his parents, as he came into his powers. He knew Chloe was terrified of Kal getting stuck during his first ‘shift,’ a worry that he shared, now that he knew about Kal.

===

Jonathan rescued the conversation by discreetly asking if Kal needed to take a nap. Chloe wondered if he secretly envied that Kal might get to take one. 

Chloe generally played it by ear. If Kal started to act cranky it signaled a nap was necessary. She would read him a story and before reaching the end, Kal would be asleep. _‘If Jonathan wants to give Kal a ride he might be more than ready for one afterward.’_

Hearing one of his least favorite words, nap, Kal shook his head and exclaimed, “No!” “Clark released him from the high chair as he asked, “Ride?”

‘Maybe we could go for a run when Kal takes a nap or later tonight when he’s sleeping.’ Clark took Kal into the living room to play with his small toys. “Play until Grandpa’s ready,” he instructed.

Chloe watched out of the corner of her eye. Kal played with his tractor, gaze scanning his new surroundings constantly. When Jonathan said, “I promised Kal a ride,” Kal immediately dropped the tractor and practically ran to Clark.

Jonathan smiled at Kal’s enthusiasm.

“I’m a little jealous,” Martha whispered.

“You’ll get to do other things, if we can tear him away from Clark.”

They both laughed, and Chloe smiled, too, knowing they were right. Kal had formed a strong attachment to Clark.

Kal hurried after Jonathan with Clark closely behind him, Chloe trailing only closely enough she could hear if she needed to. Kal stopped at the stairs before slowly climbing down each step until he reached the bottom. Once at the bottom, he walked with Clark to the tractor.

Clark reminded Kal not to squeeze while handing him to Jonathan. “Listen to grandpa.”

=====

Jonathan sat Kal on his lap and showed him where to hold onto the steering wheel. Once Kal was securely in place, he shifted the gears, allowing the tractor to move forward. He thought Kal would be fine until Clark was out of his line of sight. Moving further down the driveway toward the fields, he hoped his intuition was wrong.

When he bent to the side, he could see Kal smile, clearly enjoying the ride down the driveway. His attention was firmly caught in the changing scenery, and Jonathan breathed a sigh of relief. Kal glanced around when Jonathan pulled into the pasture and pointed with his free hand at the livestock.

“Those are sheep and goats.” Farther down in the next pasture, he said, “Those are dairy cows.” Passing the cows, he turning the tractor toward the crop fields, he said, “Here we have organic crops of corn, wheat, oats, and potatoes.”

At the end of the crops, Jonathan turned the tractor back toward the house to drive by the pen with the pigs. “Those are pigs.” Jonathan said, “Your dad can show you the chickens and the horses.” There were more crops Martha grew near the house, too. “Your grandma grows her own organic crops of tomatoes, squash, berries, herbs, and flowers,” Jonathan told Kal.

Jonathan pointed to the small apple orchard as they passed it. “Grandma got her apples from our orchard. We’ll have her pie for dessert.” Pulling back into the driveway, he shifted the gears and shut off the tractor.

Kal grinned ear from ear when Clark came into view. He scampered off as soon as Jonathan lowered him to the ground, into Clark’s arms. “An-im-als,” Kal said.

Jonathan climbed off the tractor. “I showed Kal all our animals and crops. You can show him the horses and chickens.”

=====

“I think someone’s tired,” Clark said as Kal laid his head down on his shoulder. He followed Jonathan inside, deciding the horses and chickens would have to wait. Going into the living room, he laid a sleeping Kal down on the couch before heading into the kitchen.

Clark discovered his dad had finished all his chores. He wanted to go for a run with Chloe but suspected she wanted to stay close to Kal. His mom had a delivery, which he would have offered to do if Lana wasn’t at the Talon.

Clark and Lana were barely civil to each other on a good day. He suspected Lana would use Chloe as an excuse to try to speak with him, especially after having overheard the conversation she’d had with Pete.

Clark started to think about what the Kawatche tribe bracelet meant for his true one. According to Chloe’s customs he was now her mate. To represent his Kryptonian heritage, he planned on giving her the bracelet, and to symbolize his human upbringing he wanted to give her an engagement ring. Everything he needed for the ring was in his fortress.


	9. Chapter 9

Jonathan sat in his easy chair reading the newspaper. Occasionally, he cast mildly envious glances at his grandson. It was completely acceptable for Kal to take a nap but if Jonathan rested his eyes for a few, Martha would tease him about getting old. He was simultaneously happy Kal had enjoyed the ride and sad the excitement had made him tired. He imagined that came with his age, though.

Jonathan contemplated what he could do with Kal: they could toss a ball around. There weren’t many outside toys, and the basketball hoop was too high for him. His thoughts drifted from Kal to Chloe.

Many questions crossed his mind, and Jonathan refrained from asking any of them. He was curious about how Chloe was handling being forced to stay in Wolf Lake. Martha had made the choice to be a housewife and a stay at home mom when Clark was younger. She had the small baked goods business, organic crops, and flowers. He knew their situations were different but couldn’t help the comparison. It seemed like Chloe had nothing but Kal.

=======

Chloe sipped her coffee, thinking about what it meant to be a female pack member. Her duty was to tend to the needs of her mate and their children. Generally, the large number of pups born prevented a female from doing much else unless she could find a suitable nanny. Her history with the pack made that option null and void.

Her options were limited. Chloe tried using Martha as an example. Chloe could bake but compared to Martha she was an amateur. The finished products never tasted as good as Martha’s, probably due to her lack of experience. However, she had no inclination to become an expert.

Chloe lacked a green thumb; planting a bunch of crops wasn’t her cup of tea. During her pregnancy, she’d planted several different flowers around the house, improving the landscape by adding more color. It also gave her something to do other than dwell on memories of her family.

Her nesting stage had compelled Chloe to struggle through sorting personal items in several of the rooms. She thought back to what Clark had said to her earlier. Knowing Clark was right about facing her past concerning her family didn’t make her reasons for avoiding him disappear. Her past could to be dealt with later. Right now, it was necessary to deal with the present.

Chloe hoped Clark wasn’t in his fortress mulling over arrangements in preparation for his move to Wolf Lake; she wanted to discuss options with him. It was her opinion that extra farm hands should be hired. She was sure Jonathan would protest, claiming he was more than capable of tending to his family farm; he was a proud man who didn’t take kindly to help from outside sources.

Her dilemma was how to approach the topic of helping the Kents financially; it wasn’t her intention to offend people she considered family. Her Duvall estate was extensive; Chloe was one of the richest members of the pack. She could afford to pay salaries for enough farmhands to make up for Clark’s absence.

Maybe it would make it more palatable to Jonathan to present it as an investment on her part; the Kents could pay her a certain percentage of the profits in future years; she had every intention of putting that money into an account for the farm, but he didn’t need to know that.

She really wanted to speak with Clark first, though, get his opinion about her idea. Chloe had already placed half the estate’s assets in a trust in Clark’s name; she wondered how he would react to learning he was suddenly quite wealthy.

======

After finishing the few dishes that cluttered her sink, Martha put muffins into a Tupperware container for delivery to the Talon. Instead of keeping a couple for Kal, she decided to make a fresh batch in the morning. Clark always loved them fresh out of the oven. She imagined Kal would, too.

Martha wondered if she could persuade Chloe to go with her. Her love for lattes might not be enough. The woman she observed before her was a shell of the once bubbly girl who’d visited the farm so much, she had long ago considered her a daughter. Her quietness was unnerving.

The watchful eye Chloe kept on Kal was hard to miss. It was obvious Chloe didn’t like being too far away from him. Martha highly doubted Chloe left Kal for very long. She decided to enlist Clark’s help to get Chloe to go into town with her.

Martha put the Tupperware into the back end of the truck before going out to the barn. Clark had finished several chores that usually left for later in the season. She suspected the completion was due to his decision to leave.

=====

Clark smiled, happy with the finished product. He held a heart-shaped four carat diamond set on a white gold band. It was perfect - not too small and not too big. Slipping the ring into his front pocket, he wondered when to propose and debated on whether to give her the bracelet or ring first.

Clark decided to chop wood to relieve his nervous frustration. Placing a log on the block, he brought his fist down, breaking it into four pieces. He snickered when he realized the predictability of his behavior. His fortress was where he would sit on his couch fretting over what was bothering him or work out excess energy by chopping wood.

After breaking a nice sized pile of wood, Clark moved it to the stack for winter. Studying the pile, he decided if he chopped the same amount each day until he left, his parents would have plenty for winter.

Next, Clark tossed bales of hay up into the rafters. Just as he tossed another bale up into the rafters, Martha walked into the barn. Wiping his hands off on his jeans, he hoped it wasn’t to deliver muffins to the Talon. “Did you need me to do something?” he asked.

His eyebrow rose slightly when Martha mentioned she wanted Chloe to go with her to the Talon. ‘Does she think Chloe needs my permission?’ He couldn’t see Chloe passing up the chance for a latte. “I’ll come in with Kal while she goes.”

Clark suspected his mom believed Chloe didn’t like being too far away from Kal. He almost felt like she was claiming Chloe was a tad over-protective. He thought about events since Chloe had returned to Smallville.

Chloe had been on the farm when Kal-El took Kal. Her enhanced hearing must have allowed her to overhear Kal-El’s argument with Martha. Now, her comment to him that night in the caves made perfect sense. He doubted his mom had mentioned that to Chloe.

Clark had overheard Lana and Pete talking about Chloe being at the Talon with Kal. Chloe had stayed inside when Jonathan took Kal for a tractor ride. Clark had been listening just in case he was needed, and he assumed Chloe had done the same. “I’ll be with him,” he repeated.

Chloe knew nothing would happen to Kal while Clark was watching him. He assumed that Martha was comparing how his dad always tried to protect his secret with how carefully Chloe watched over Kal. Their protectiveness could be placed on the same wavelength.

Clark was tempted to roll his eyes when Martha claimed Chloe was very much like his father. His mom was being dramatic. “You can’t tell me that you were never like that with me,” he accused. He shifted on his feet as her expression changed to one he knew meant she wasn’t pleased with him. Sighing in defeat, he said, “I’ll suggest Chloe go with you if she tries to use Kal as an excuse.”

=======

Chloe hadn’t meant to overhear Martha and Clark’s conversation. She merely had the habit of extending her senses every so often to check her surroundings. Martha was right; she was very much like Jonathan and would do anything to protect Kal. Her eyes flashed gold for an instant when Clark’s tone implied his suggestion would be more like an order.

Kal squirmed, wanting to be free from his mom’s clutches. He wasn’t making changing him easy. His head turned as he looked around, and Chloe knew Kal was looking for Clark - he was definitely a daddy’s boy.

Chloe didn’t relish the idea of another run in with Lana, though. Martha might be the perfect excuse for Lana to pretend to be missing an old friend and attempt to strike up a conversation with and Chloe had never truly considered Lana a friend. She had no desire to see, hear, or even speak with her.

“Chloe, I have to make a delivery to the Talon. Want to come with me?” Martha asked.

She smiled when Chloe replied, “Sure I’ll get a latte.”

 

=====

Something in her smile that made Clark suddenly leery. ‘Could Chloe possibly hear thoughts I hadn’t intended for her to hear?’ He almost immediately realized she had probably unintentionally heard his conversation with his mom, as Chloe asked if he wanted her to bring him back a latte. It was so wrong for him to feel apprehensive of her beautiful smile and a gesture of kindness. He couldn’t put his finger on what he must be missing.

Squatting down, Chloe gave Kal a quick kiss. “I’m going to go with grandma to the Talon. Be good for your dad,” she instructed.

Clark shifted nervously. Chloe was leaving a very awake Kal with him, and Clark had never watched Kal while he was awake. It had been easy when Kal-El abducted Kal. To his knowledge Kal hadn’t even woken from his slumber. All the other times, Chloe was close by. She really wouldn’t be too far away this time either, yet for an instant he was terrified.

Chloe must have sensed his nervousness. Standing up, she came over to him. Wrapping her arms around his waist, she stood on her tip toes and tilted her head upward. She gave him a chaste kiss before following Martha to the door. ‘You’ll be fine.’

Clark couldn’t help but blush. He’d never kissed anyone in front of his parents. However, that didn’t mean he didn’t want to kiss her again. It had ended way too quickly.

Kal’s eyes followed his mom as Chloe walked toward the door. His feet moved as Chloe reached the door. Clark knew the situation was new. Chloe never left Kal with anyone.

Reaching down, he had his arm out to pick him up but Kal moved faster than he anticipated. “Kal,” he called. It was apparent that Kal wanted to go with her. “Mom will be back in a little while,” he tried to reason.

Kal continued to follow Chloe. He attempted to run when Clark swooped down and grabbed him. Large crocodile tears filled his reddish blue-green eyes as he cried, “Ma…ma!” He continued to struggle, wanting free.

Clark was having a hard time keeping Kal in his arms. He was afraid using too much of his strength to contain Kal would inadvertently hurt him. Trying to distract him, he said, “We can go see the other animals.”

Kal wasn’t listening. His tears fell when the door clicked closed. The combined efforts of his tears and attempts to get away had Kal panting in his arms. His struggles ceased in a few minutes, after the truck left the driveway. Turning his head, he pouted and sniffed.

Clark noticed Kal stopped struggling when the truck left. ‘Does Kal possibly have heightened senses already? Maybe a small amount of speed too.’ He was beginning to believe that Chloe could move faster, too, just not as fast as he could. His suspicion led him to wonder if Chloe had used more than his scent to avoid him.

“I’d have completely believed he was a daddy’s boy until Chloe left. You sure Kal doesn’t have a small amount of your speed?” he asked.

“I’ve wondered that a couple of times,” Clark answered. This was probably the first time Chloe had left Kal when he was awake. Looking down now, he noticed that the tears had disappeared but his unhappy pout still remained. “Do you want to get down and play with your toys?” he asked.

Kal shook his head no. “Mama…” he whined, completely oblivious to Clark’s sigh of frustration. Clark asked, “Do you want me to take you to see the horses and chickens?”

Clark waited to see if Kal would answer him. He started toward the door when Kal answered, “Yes.” Opening the front door, he went down the steps, silently relieved Kal wasn’t asking to be put down. It would be easier to show Kal the animals while holding onto him.

=====

Going into the barn, Clark walked over to the stalls on the left side of the barn. At the first stall, he said, “This is Midnight.” He shifted Kal so that he could touch the stallion. Reaching out with his free hand, he touched the white spot on Midnight’s forehead. “You can pet him like this,” he instructed, “gently.”

Kal studied the black horse with the white diamond forehead, before he slowly mimicked his dad’s action. His hand moved away as Clark told him he used to ride Midnight. “Ride?”

Shaking his head no, Clark answered, “Not today.” Moving away from Midnight, he went to the next stall which contained a pure black mare. Reaching out like before he ran his hand down the forehead. “Her name is Blacky,” he said. Chloe had agreed to go riding once. “Your mom didn’t like horseback riding.”

Kal slowly reached out to pet Blacky. Just before his hand reached her, the mare moved her head, and Kal was startled. He showed no interest in petting the mare after that.

Did the mare sense something different from the stallion? Chloe’d had issues with her when they’d gone riding. Clark went back to Midnight so Kal could pet him again. After Kal pet the stallion some more, he walked through the barn to the far doors where he grabbed a bucket of feed.

======

Kal looked around noticing several small chickens inside a fenced-in area. He noticed a small woodhouse at the end where a ramp came down from an open window. “Ho-u-se?” he asked.

“Yes,” Clark answered while opening the side gate. Stepping into the coop, he reached into the bucket for some feed with his free hand. “Reach your hand in like this and throw the feed onto the grass,” he instructed.

Kal watched his dad reach into the bucket and take some of the feed into his hand before he tossed it onto the grass. Mimicking his dad, he reached into the bucket to grab a small amount of the feed, and tossed the feed onto the grass. He fed the chickens a couple more times before Clark said, “That’s enough.”

Kal watched the chickens stab at the ground with their beaks as Clark closed the gate. “I do it!”

“You fed the chickens,” Clark agreed while walking back to the barn. Hanging the bucket back on the hook, he tried to think of other things they could do outside. He sensed Kal wanted to get down but was reluctant to put him down in the barn.

“Down,” Kal demanded.

“You need boots,” Clark stated. Stepping out of the barn, he put Kal down next to him. “Let’s go over here,” he said before leading Kal over to the old tire swing. “I have to check the rope before you can swing.”

Kal looked at the black tire hanging from a tree branch by a piece of rope. He looked up at his dad and raised his eyebrow as if to say, huh.

Clark smirked when he saw the raised eyebrow and wondered if Kal was copying him. He assumed Kal didn’t understand what he’d been saying. The problem was that Clark was clueless on how to explain


	10. Chapter 10

Martha hoped Lana wouldn’t be working. She recalled how vindictive Lana had become after Clark broke up with her. She hadn’t meant to overhear an argument between Clark and Lana when she showed up unexpectedly. Martha had assumed Clark didn’t feel he could be himself. It had never occurred to her the real reason might be Chloe.

_“Lana, I told you before, I have nothing to say to you,” Clark practically growled._

_“Chloe is gone. She isn’t coming back,” Lana declared._

_“You don’t know that,” Clark responded._

_“The only thing stopping us from being together is gone,” Lana insisted._

_“Chloe wasn’t why. I’ve told you before and I will say it again, I don’t have any feelings for you.”_

_“If you meant so much to her, why did Chloe pack her car up in the middle of the night? Why did your best friend leave without a backward glance?”_

Pulling herself from her thoughts Martha asked, “Have you spoken to any of your other friends?”

=====

Chloe hoped Martha was referring to the only other resident she considered a friend, Pete. She’d felt it was safer for him if she didn’t make an effort to contact him. “No. I only came back because Gabe is dying.” Saying Gabe was sick wasn’t enough anymore. All signs pointed to his impending death. This morning, she’d noticed Gabe had hardly eaten, his breathing was labored, and his heart rate was elevated.

“After you left, every time I tried talking with Gabe and I mentioned you, he got angry,” Martha said sadly.

“He was probably worried they were watching,” Chloe admitted. It was something she’d been worrying about since her return. Her talk with Sherman had put her slightly more at ease, though.

“We aren’t supposed to leave. I can sense my kind and no one else is here,” she declared in hopes of putting Martha at ease. When Martha’s heart rate returned to normal, she continued, “It’s just safer if I keep a low profile.”

Chloe sensed a sudden shift in Martha’s emotions. She hoped that she wasn’t upsetting her. “I regret not talking to Clark before I left. I was so fearful of people getting hurt. I didn’t realize I’d lost the talisman during the summer.”

Chloe was unable to tell Martha more concerning the talisman. Her questions to Sherman were either unanswered or answered in riddles which only made Chloe more confused. She wanted Martha to understand certain topics were dangerous.“There are pack-related issues I can’t talk about, and other things I’m just not ready to yet,” she explained while thinking, _‘I haven’t told Clark.’_

=====

Martha couldn’t help but notice how Chloe hadn’t called Gabe ‘Dad.’ She wondered if the change was due to Gabe’s attitude. On the few occasions when Martha had attempted to ask Gabe about Chloe, he’d instantly became agitated and accused her of asking on Clark’s behalf.

Martha hoped that Chloe could indeed sense a skinwalker. “You only came to the farm because of Clark?” she asked.

“I heard Kal-El tell you Clark Kent was dead.”

A chill ran down Martha’s spine as she relived that moment.

“My coming to the farm caused a chain reaction of events. It was how Kal-El figured out why my heartbeat was echoed,” Chloe explained.

Clark had never mentioned he could have found Chloe. Chloe had changed everything for everyone. It was ironic how Jor-El had inadvertently helped his son. `Kal` had been present after Clark blew up the ship, then Kal-El had been brainwashed into believing emotions made him weak and too human.

_Could that mean Clark had the talisman?_ Shifting the car into park she asked, “It was what prevented them from finding you?” Martha became confused when Chloe admitted the talisman had never hid her from the pack.

=====

Years ago, Clark had practiced throwing the football through the old tire swing. He’d never imagined his son would be using it as a swing. After double checking the security of the rope, he picked Kal up.

Kal curiously watched his dad pull on the rope. He almost protested when Clark picked him up. Sitting in the tire, he held onto the rope when his hands were put there.

“Sit like that and hold on here with your hands,” Clark instructed. He pulled back and slowly released it from his hands. His actions allowed enough momentum for Kal to swing back and forth for a few minutes. He grinned when Kal squealed in delight.

Hearing Chloe over their link made him frown. _‘What haven’t you told me?’_ Gently, he pushed the swing as it started to slow. His eyes narrowed when Chloe responded, _‘Your mom and I were talking. Just some things I should tell you.’_

Clark couldn’t help but wonder if Chloe was talking about her family. Pushing the swing again, he asked, _‘about?’_ and inadvertently pushed too hard. He chuckled when Kal squealed, “Again.”

=====

The barista gave Chloe a strange look when she sighed loudly. “Two mocha lattes and a nutty Irish latte with two extra shots of espresso, please,” she ordered. After paying she responded, _‘This is more of a face to face conversation. Knowing won’t change anything.’_

Chloe sensed Clark was unwilling to wait for her answer. _‘The pack thought I was dead.’_ The ensuing silence made her anxious. “Can I get a carrier for those, please?” she asked. Picking it up, she started to move away from the counter.

Chloe noticed Lana walking her way. The fake smile gracing her face made Chloe want to scream. She could smell waves of jealousy rolling off Lana. _‘After all these years Lana still wants Clark.’_ Part of her wanted to inform Lana that Clark was hers.

“Chloe, I was hoping to see you again,” Lana claimed.

“Lana. We haven’t spoken in years. I’d like to keep it that way,” Chloe snarked. She almost burst out laughing at Lana’s reaction. Instead she smiled sweetly as Clark replied, _‘I don’t want her. She really should move on.’_

=====

Martha had a hard time holding back her laughter. Lana’s mouth hung open in obvious surprise. She pretended not to hear Lana and followed Chloe outside. Climbing into the truck, she turned to Chloe and asked, “Is everything all right?”

Martha became confused when Chloe whispered, “I think Clark is mad at me.” She hazarded a guess Chloe was referring to the telepathic link she’d mentioned in her letter. Listening intently to Chloe explain about her link with Clark, she surmised that Clark had demanded an answer..

Martha wanted to smack some sense into her son, and if it was feasible without breaking her hand, she might. “Jonathan and I will watch Kal when we get back,” she stated and before Chloe could protest, she continued, “Kal will be fine. The two of you need to talk about whatever is bothering you.”

======

Jonathan watched Clark pushing Kal on the swing. His body language spoke volumes. Something was bothering him. 

Jonathan went outside and suggested, “Let me push Kal.” Kal might be swinging into the next county otherwise. “Out with it.”

Jonathan pushed Kal as Clark talked and paced back and forth. He listened intently as Clark explained about his telepathic link with Chloe. Past experience told Jonathan this new ability would take time to be mastered. 

“It’s new so we both end up…” Clark started.

Jonathan interrupted, “Saying something unintended.” His expression asked Clark without words: does it change anything? 

“It made me angry and scared. The only way they could believe she was dead was if …” 

Jonathan finished the sentence. “They’d killed her family. ” There was a momentary pause before he continued, “Your mom and I suspected her family had been killed.” He recalled how stubborn Martha’d been when she’d bullied Gabe into allowing Chloe to spend the night. “Years ago, the first time Chloe ever stayed on this farm, Gabe only agreed because your mother insisted.” Jonathan pushed Kal again, as he asked, “Do you remember what happened?”

======= 

_Clark stared at the ceiling in the living room. He couldn’t decide if he was honestly annoyed with having to give his bed up for Chloe or if he was thrilled with the idea that she was sleeping in his bed. ‘A girl is sleeping in my bed. It’s going to smell like her. She smells sweet, like vanilla with a tang of spiciness.’_

_A blood-curdling scream echoed throughout the old farm house, making Clark shoot straight off the couch. His eardrums protested at the pitch. Tossing the covers from his body, he switched into super speed almost crashing straight through his bedroom door in his haste to get to her._

_Clark zoomed into the room and screeched to a stop at the side of his bed. His panic at using his powers in front of her was completely forgotten when he saw her pallid complexion. Her eyes glowed a bright yellow, tears streaked down her normally rosy cheeks, and her mouth hung open as she continued to scream._

_Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Clark gently touched her shoulder. “Chloe.” He looked into her eyes, mesmerized by the bright yellowish gold irises. An overwhelming urge to protect her filled him to his very soul._

_“C-Clark?” Chloe questioned._

_Clark wrapped his arms around her, taking her into a tight embrace. Her eyes faded back to normal as he whispered, “Ssh. You’re safe now.” Holding her close, he laid their bodies back against the mattress and continued to whisper soothing words in his foreign tongue._

_By my blood, soul, heart you are shielded. I will always be your protector, for you’re my true one. Our souls, born of the stars, destined by fate to meet on Earth, as our original blood ancestors to become one essence._

The memories were so clear to Clark it was like traveling back in time. A chill ran down his spine knowing Chloe had a living nightmare of events that had led to her arrival in Smallville.

His thoughts were interrupted by Jonathan stating his fears Chloe was remembering what had happened. Clark thoroughly believed Chloe was afraid of what would happen if she were to open those long ago sealed doors. “Chloe and I need to talk when mom and she get back,” he agreed.

=====

Jonathan pulled the swing to a stop when Kal demanded out. Lifting Kal out of the swing, he set him down and asked, “Did you like the swing?” 

Kal nodded his head yes and pointed at the sky.

Jonathan wondered if Kal was talking about when Clark pushed too hard or when Kal-El took him. “Fly?” he asked. He couldn’t hear what Clark mumbled. Judging from Clark’s reaction, he hadn’t expected Kal to either.

=====

“Go…” Kal pointed to the sky again with a giant smile lighting up his face at the prospect of flying with his dad again. Shaking his head, Kal explained, “Me wake.” Pointing at the sky, he sounded out the words he was attempting to say, “Go a-g-a-in?”

Kal turned his head suddenly to look down the driveway. “Mama.”

“That’s a mile down the road,” Clark stated in awe. “Can you hear the truck?” he questioned. 

“No. Mama,” Kal insisted.

Clark listened for Chloe but didn’t hear her talking. “Do you hear her heart?” 

Kal sighed before he drawled out, “Yes…” His eyes narrowed as Clark mumbled that Kal had his mom’s attitude. Mom had always made him take a nap when he was being cranky. “No. Nap!” he exclaimed.

Clark glared at his dad when Jonathan laughed at his frustration. His annoyance increased when his dad laughed harder. He wasn’t finding anything remotely funny. 

Once he stopped laughing, Jonathan explained, “Kal thinks you mean he’s being cranky.” 

Kal shook his head vigorously while stepping backward. “No. me not!” he snapped. Tilting his head upward, he looked up and pointed at Clark. “Dada…nap!” He squealed as Clark scooped him up in his arms and attacked him with his fingers to tickle him.

“Kal says you need a nap,” Jonathan teased.

Ignoring his dad, Clark continued to tickle Kal, only stopping when Kal said between giggles, “St-ooo-pp.” Following Jonathan into the house, Clark groaned when Kal said, “me wet.” Grabbing the diaper bag, he slung the bag over his shoulder while pondering if Kal was ready to be potty trained. “Let’s go to my room so I can change you.”

======

Jonathan could tell Martha was upset when she walked into the house. He was beginning to believe the crankiness Clark exhibited was contagious. “Clark’s upstairs changing Kal.” 

Jonathan speculated their bad moods were connected to Clark being in a foul mood. He was thankful Martha and he didn’t share a telepathic link. Many arguments would have arisen. 

Jonathan decided it was best not to interfere. He believed the only solution was for Clark and Chloe to talk about what was bothering them. However, he believed that for Chloe discussing her family wouldn’t be an easy topic. 

=====

Her day had started out divine, waking in his arms. Now, everything seemed to be spinning out of control. Her admitting the pack believed her dead made Chloe have to approach some topics she’d wanted to put off until later. She wasn’t ready to open those sealed doors. 

Lana attempting to talk to her infuriated Chloe. Lana had some nerve behaving as if her friendship meant something to her. Chloe could feel the mounting tension when Clark walked downstairs holding Kal. She sensed he was genuinely sorry before he even uttered the words. 

====

Martha went into the kitchen to start dinner. Her irritation showed clearly in her body language. Her mood changed slightly when Jonathan mentioned Kal accusing Clark of being cranky. 

Her original intention had been to tell Clark to shoo. She hadn’t planned on interfering, but couldn’t stop herself from attempting to give some motherly advice. “I can imagine the arguments your father and I would have gotten into if he could hear some of my personal thoughts.”

Clark’s postured softened, so Martha felt her point was clear, and she turned her attention to Chloe. She remembered the first time Chloe had stayed in their home. Her heart had ached for her after hearing her blood curdling screams. 

Martha believed Chloe allowed her guilty conscience and her fears to dictate her actions. She wanted Chloe to understand that no matter what occurred, she and Jonathan considered her family. “We opened our house to you at thirteen. Knowing you are ‘different’ doesn’t change anything. I’ll admit I miss the girl who used to speak her mind and never seemed to stop talking.”


	11. Chapter 11

Chloe listened, attempting to hold her tongue. Martha was right; she wasn’t the same bubble-headed girl who used to visit. Guilt plagued her. The guilt of not telling Clark about her pregnancy, the milestones he’d missed, how she believed he was leaving Smallville now because she had no choice. Kal missing his father in his life. More guilt connected to her family - her living when they’d died.

She’d locked it all away, pretending to be normal when she wasn’t normal, had never been normal. Many times, she’d wondered how it was fair that she got to live when everyone else she loved died. The pack had killed her whole family and more than likely was responsible for Gabe’s infection and ultimately his death.

Selfishly, Chloe had agreed to come back. No matter how much she tried to deny it, eventually, she wouldn’t have been able to resist coming here, the instant she’d crossed the town line, she’d known deep down that the real reason she’d agreed was her love for Clark. She’d condemned everyone because her blood was cursed. There was no way to deny she and her son were part of a pack which despite their word, couldn’t be trusted.

Her eyes glowed bright golden-yellow as the dam cracked and splintered and everything she’d been holding back poured out. “I tried to pretend I was normal and buried why I was here in the first place,” she declared.

Her discovery that the pack believed her dead had made Chloe regret her decision. She suspected that eventually Sherman would have revealed her whereabouts. “It’s hard to be all bubbly and talkative when you’re overrun by other emotions like guilt and fear.”

Chloe clenched and unclenched her hands, wanting more than anything to simply escape. “I’m not saying that I’m not happy to be here…It’s just…” after a momentary pause, she continued, “my parents, my brother, my twin sister, and Gabe are all dead because of the pack.” The details of the fire flashed through her mind.

_The smell of smoke thickened as flames ignited everywhere in the small hunting cabin her family owned in the woods. The sense of panic as her father fought to try to save them, then glass breaking just before her father picked her up and threw her out the window._

_Her body slammed into a nearby tree. Tears rolled down her face while she watched the cabin become engulfed in flames. She didn’t want to follow his order, “Run to Sherman.” She knew it meant the rest weren’t going to make it out alive. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest as she forced her body to move anyway._

_She had no shoes or light to guide her as she ran for her life. Dirt, blood, and sweat drenched her tattered nightgown as she banged on Sherman Blackstone’s front door. Tears streamed down her face as the older Indian man opened the door and quickly ushered her into his home._

_She looked at him skeptically when he pointed to his bathroom and gave her instructions to quickly clean up and change. She assumed the clothes he’d given her were on hand for any members of the pack who arrived on his doorstep._

_Stepping back into the room, Chloe found Sherman sitting at the table. Walking over to him, she looked cautiously at the mug with steam rising from it. Sitting down in the chair, she reluctantly picked the mug up when Sherman said, “Little one, I need you to drink that.” She sniffed the mug to discover it smelled like chicken._

_Chloe was led out of his house to an old beat up truck. “My family,” she protested. Tears started to fall again when Sherman said, “I’m sorry little one. I’m going to take you somewhere safe.” She watched the woods roll by as he drove out of Wolf Lake. Exhaustion took over, making her succumb to sleep._

_Tremendous pain woke Chloe from her slumber. It was too intense for her to find an ounce of energy. She whimpered as Sherman said, “I induced the change. It is the only way to heal your injuries and to ensure your safety.” His hands stopped her when she attempted to get up._

_Chloe wasn’t certain how much time passed while she writhed in agony, her muscles stretching, and bones shifting. Her screams of agony turned into a howl as she successfully transformed for the first time. Her breath came in pants when she shifted back to human form. She could do nothing but listen while she was informed to rest and that they would leave in the morning to meet with his friend._

======

Clark listened, wanting to hold and comfort her. He understood her guilt wasn’t just about him. His suspicion was she was fearful of what the pack would do. His parents would tell her that they were willing to take the risk. He bit his tongue to keep from growling aloud that she needed to stop blaming herself. 

His desire to hold her close and protect her increased with each word Chloe uttered. His knowledge of the pack’s belief of her death made him wonder if they would make another attempt. Her bloodline included his son as well.

His stomach flip-flopped when vivid images filled his mind. His body reacted in the same manner as when he was exposed to Kryptonite. Bile rose in his throat as distinct smells he wouldn’t wish on his worst enemy surrounded him. His heart hammered in his chest at the knowledge of how close he’d come to never meeting her.

His soul drenched in fear, Clark imagined her running scared and helpless through the woods. He felt the adrenaline pump through her veins as if it were his. Relief washed over him when Chloe reached Sherman Blackstone. There was confusion and hope when Chloe was whisked out of Wolf Lake.

Clark almost fell to his knees when every cell within him spasmed. It slowly increased until he could feel his muscles stretching to the point where the tissues might rip from his bones. He was beginning to believe there was no end to the gut-wrenching pain when suddenly without warning, the pain intensified, making him feel like death had sent the reaper for him, and every bone in his body shifted and broke.

He panted with euphoria when his vision changed, making everything around him appear black and white with hints of red. Exhaustion coursed through Clark as his sight returned to normal. He groaned, assuming their telepathic link had allowed him to relive those moments. Her strength was unquestionable while her fear was genuine.

======

Chloe breathed in deeply and then slowly exhaled. “After my flip, for months I had vivid nightmares where I relived everything Ceri, my twin, felt. It was just like that night when her agony, pain, terror coursed through me until there was nothing because she was dead.”

Chloe always suspected her family’s death was the reason Gabe’s attitude had changed completely when she lost the talisman. She’d left Smallville, believing she would never return. “I went back not because I wanted to but because I had to,” she explained. She’d been scared and had clung to the only piece that remained, her unborn child. “The first person I saw was Sherman Blackstone. He took me to a pack meeting and informed them I would be claiming my family’s estate and assets.”

Chloe remembered the expressions of shock on the pack members’ faces, their gasps of surprise. Sherman had snickered, and it still annoyed her that Sherman had found the whole situation amusing. She learned over time he relished in his ability to keep things from the pack. Her wolf challenged Clark not to interrupt her since he was receiving more information and might feel comforting her was more prevalent than revealing everything. 

“They are about money, power, laws, orders, and prophecies.” Her eyes glowed brighter with her rising anger. “Their crimes were considered to have happened during a time of great bloodshed. Yet I was taken before the elders and put on trial for something they considered to be against their laws: falling in love with Clark, making him my mate, bearing his child. I was warned against breaking their laws again before I went back to a house that I hadn’t seen in years.”

She breathed in deeply and then slowly exhaled. “I returned because it was an order. I requested permission to come here with Kal. I don’t know why it was granted or why suddenly it’s acknowledged and accepted that Clark is my mate. I just know it’s because of Sherman, who only gives answers - in riddles revealing only what he deems to be necessary.”

=====

Clark’s hackles rose at the challenge. The audacity of the pack, how dare they put his mate on trial, threaten his family. Her return was deemed necessary because Chloe belonged with him. He suspected that their mating had been accepted because his bloodline was how the Skinwalkers existed.

Sherman might find riddles amusing, but Clark didn’t. His focus moved from Chloe long enough to tell his mom to keep an eye on Kal. Chloe and he would return later. Switching into super speed, he abducted Chloe and whisked her out of the house.

Clark tightened his grip on her when Chloe struggled to get free from him. He sped through the barn and into the forest, finally stopping when he arrived in a small clearing within the woods. Looking into her eyes, he said, “None of what happened was your fault. You need to stop feeling guilty just because you lived.”

======

Martha stared across the room. Her head was spinning with the knowledge of everything Chloe had been through. Her heart ached for her. Chloe was simply a pawn in the pack’s bids for power. She’d unknowingly mated with a powerful Kryptonian male whose very essence demanded him to protect those less powerful than himself.

Unable to do anything else, Martha busied herself with preparing dinner. She glanced over at Jonathan to find him still playing with Kal. Out of the corner of her eye, she’d seen him distracting Kal away from the commotions occurring around him.

Martha hoped Chloe wouldn’t feel that her blow-up had caused either her or Jonathan to fear her. Raising Clark had made Martha an expert in dealing with the unexplainable. It’s not an everyday occurrence for a toddler to lift a truck and to speed around the house too fast for the human eye to see, but it had been for her.

Clark’s powers - heat and x-ray vision, super breath, super hearing, flying - had intimidated Martha, but she’d never once feared Clark himself. Flying had astonished Martha. She might have been frightened by his change in attitude, especially during his teens, but never gut-wrenching fear.

Martha’s thoughts were interrupted when she heard, “Gr-an-d-ma-. Mama dada nap.” Her eyes moved toward the door, highly doubting that Clark and Chloe were taking a nap.

=====

Chloe snarled at Clark while struggling to free herself from his powerful grip. Her actions only made his arms lock tighter around her small frame. She sensed Clark had no intentions of allowing her to be free. His standpoint was clear: their conversation was far from over.

Chloe blinked when everything around her finally stopped moving. She continued to struggle to free herself. Slowly she stilled, knowing his words were the truth. She felt his reluctance to loosen his hold on her when he slowly unwound his arms from around her body.

Her emotions were a jumble of guilt and anger. Her anger was more self-imposed than aimed at him. She should never have lost her tight control. Martha was just trying to give her and Clark motherly advice. She glared at Clark as he said, “You can’t keep me in the dark any more than you can hide who you are.”

Chloe sensed his annoyance when she went to step away from him. She wanted to get away from him to have time to think. She managed to get a few feet away from him when Clark grabbed her by the arms to stop her.

Chloe growled at him. She struggled to get free but discovered his strength was slightly greater than hers. If she got enough leverage she could still use her strength to her advantage. Glaring up at him, she snapped, “I’m good at running away.” Adrenaline still pumped through her veins. The woods beckoned her to break the final chains and allow herself the freedom to run. Her wolf refused to be re-chained.

=====

Clark knew Chloe wasn’t referring to running in the woods but rather how she’d run when her family was killed, and then again instead of talking to him. “That’s not what I meant,” he growled. Studying her, he wondered if she was even aware that her eyes had yet to return to their hazel coloring. “Your eyes are still gold,” he commented. His suspicion was confirmed when Chloe shook her head in denial.

Clark blinked to maintain control on his heat vision as her emotions passed through their link silently challenging him. His own denials had hurt the very people he cared about and his refusal to allow anyone to know his secret made him feel partly responsible for her actions. He had no intention of allowing her to deny her true nature any longer.

Clark stepped back from her with every intention of ripping the dress from her body if she refused to remove it. His link with her informed him that Chloe felt he’d lost his mind when he informed her to strip. His eyebrow rose as her eyes brightened in their golden color making him aware Chloe had no intention of submitting to him.

Clark noticed how she watched him intently as he reached into his front pocket. He could feel her curiosity mixing with the other emotions passing through their link. His blue-green eyes narrowed as Chloe asked him why. “I want to run with you,” he answered. Pulling the talisman out of his pocket, it dangled from his finger as he teased, “I prefer you get this back the way you lost it. Naked.”

======

Chloe huffed, unamused by his taunt. She wanted to stay mad at him and blame him for pushing her into talking about what happened. After all, Clark was the initial catalyst that started her whole rant. Truthfully, she was more afraid of what would happen after she allowed her other free rein. 

Instead of doing as Clark demanded, Chloe stated the obvious, “The pack already knows where I am.” She shrugged her shoulders when Clark asked her why she had to be difficult. Her eyes scanned the area for an escape when his eyes darkened with distaste and Clark stated, “The pack believed you were dead.”

“The pack believes a lot of things that are untrue,” Chloe stated. She sighed and pulled the sundress over her head before kicking off her cowboy boots. _‘They think I became indestructible because of my mate.’_ Her breath caught in her throat at the pure hunger that filled his blue-green eyes.


	12. Chapter 12

Clark slipped the chain over her head. His fingers moved along the chain until the talisman was nestled between her breasts. He could feel the heat of her skin against his fingertips beckoning him to touch her. Looking deep into her eyes, he promised, _‘Your mate plans on making you indestructible.’_

Her eyes growing slightly brighter didn’t faze Clark any more than her growling claim that she wasn’t in heat. He had every intention of keeping his promise the instant it was possible. He didn’t miss the reaction his teasing touches invoked within her body.

Clark attempted to calm himself by inhaling deeply as he trailed his hands lightly along her sides to rest on her hips. Her stronger scent lingered around him making his desire for her deepen. His gaze fell to his mark marring her pale skin.

His curiosity rose, as Clark wondered if his touch could make Chloe squirm. It seemed only fair that he confirm his suspicions. Her deep snarly growl did nothing to sway his actions. His thumb brushed over it as Clark said, “Chloe…”

His lips brushed against her rapidly beating pulse before his tongue tasted her. The same sensation he’d felt in Metropolis coursed through him. His confidence in her knowledge of her heat was shaky, especially if all her insight was obtained from Blackstone. _‘Math was never your strong suit.’_

======

His light touch made her skin tingle where his fingers teased her heated flesh. ‘Oh…’ Her hands trembled slightly as Chloe pushed against his chest. She couldn’t deny that her body craved him, wanted him so badly that she could practically taste her desires. 

Dates and figures raced through her mind; she swore her calculations were correct. _Did Sherman neglect to inform me of something concerning heats?_ She jumped into the air and shifted into her wolf form. _‘You wanted to run with me,’_ she taunted.

She could feel how Clark was enthralled by the beauty of her transformation. A short distance away, she waited for him. She turned when he took a few steps in her direction making it so all he saw was the swish of her tail before she darted further into the woods. 

Chloe stopped several feet away, waiting until he was almost right upon her before taking off running. Her strides were long and fast making her feel free. Hearing his growl of frustration only added to the game of chase she was playing with him.

Chloe continued to race through the woods knowing Clark could use her scent to track her. Her strides slowed when he asked, _‘How come your scent is so strong if you’re not in heat?_ She went a little further before shifting back into human form.

Leaning against a tree, Chloe waited. Her skin glistened with sweat from the shedding of her pelt. _‘That’s my normal scent. Well with yours mixed in. A warning to all skinwalker males that I’m taken.’_ Her eyes followed the movement of his tongue as Clark licked his lips. She nodded when he declared, _‘I assume your scent is in your claim on me.’_

_‘Yes.’_ Chloe growled when his heated gaze made her ache to be one with him. “What took you so long? Thought you were fast,” she teased and then gasped when Clark blurred before her eyes. She growled when his body pinned hers to the tree.

Chloe rolled her eyes when Clark accused her of cheating. She moved her hands to his shirt finding it incredibly unfair that he was still fully clothed. _‘Like this shirt?’_ she asked wanting him naked now. After Clark answered yes, she responded, “Too bad.”

Chloe ripped the offending material from his chest to slowly trail her fingers over his toned muscular skin. Her hand rested just above the button of his jeans as she asked, “We fought, raced. Can we skip to the make-up sex now?”

His scent surrounded and beckoned her. Chloe struggled to get his jeans open and was half tempted to rip the denim material. _‘Next time, you should run naked.’_

======

Clark snickered. He covered her hands with his own before he quickly unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans. _‘Doesn’t seem fair to me.’_ He would be running buck-ass naked while Chloe was covered in a silver pelt of fur. 

Pushing his jeans over his hips, Clark lifted her into his arms. His grunt of satisfaction mixed with her growl as their bodies became one. He relished the way her legs wrapped tightly around his waist as she clung to shoulders. His thrusts were slow and steady as her whimper made him aware that he was teasing her.

Maintaining the slow pace, Clark savored each whimper and moan that slipped past her lips. She felt so wet and tight around him, like she was the other half that completed him. He smirked at her attempt to get him to change the pace by rocking her hips. Pain mixed with pleasure as her claws raked down his back to grip his ass. “Chloe…”

A primal feeling soared through Clark while he drove into her. He looked deep into her eyes when Chloe growled in frustration. Her eyes were a bright glow of yellow emphasizing the pleasure their joining was inducing within her. He was almost certain her snarl was from his thoughts on being the alpha male.

_‘Unless, you planned on finishing this later, you should remember that too much pleasure causes me to shift.’_

‘How do I know you’re not just trying to get your way?’ His hands slid down her sides to squeeze her round firm cheeks as he glided deep into her wet tight core. He sensed his actions were propelling her closer to the edge.

=====

Her walls gripped him tightly making her growl in pleasure. Chloe screamed his name as her fangs elongated. Her hands moved to his chest, preparing for the inevitable. Shifting wasn’t simply a possibility. She heard Clark grunt her name as his hardness pulsed and then his hot seed pumped into her.

Chloe violently propelled him away from her, barely having a millisecond before her body shifted into her wolf form. She growled at Clark sending him her annoyance through their link. _‘Listen to me next time, unless you plan on taking me as a wolf.’_ Their lovemaking was always intense and brought her close to a shift. She’d never been that close, though.

Chloe sensed Clark wished one of his abilities allowed him to shift into a wolf. Wolf eyes glared annoyedly at him as Clark squatted down beside her. She contemplated snapping at him when his hand moved closer to her.

Her frustration rose when his hands running through her fur made her want to lay down for him. She rarely stayed in wolf form very long. This was only the second time in her life that she’d allowed her wolf to run free. 

Shifting back, Chloe felt like she’d run a marathon. The adrenaline pumping through her veins had worn off leaving her emotionally and physically drained. If it weren’t for Kal she just might suggest lying right there. She sighed contently when Clark scooped her up in his arms.

======

Clark shifted her body to quickly fix his jeans. Glancing at his ripped shirt, he growled, “Remember my shirt the next time you don’t move fast enough for my liking.” His words held promise of what he intended to do to her clothing.

His eyebrow rose when Chloe asked,“You wouldn’t happen to have another black button down shirt?” he wondered if Chloe had worn the shirt she’d stolen and found himself imagining her big belly stretching out the material. He suspected his scent had been embedded in the material.

“You took my ring, shirt and heart,” Clark stated with sincerity. His mind flashed back to that very night. His subconscious reminded him why Chloe being in heat would be a very bad thing to happen in his parents’ home.

_Clark groaned slowly coming back to consciousness. His heart pounded frantically when he realized he was no longer in a drugged haze. Attempting to toss the sheet from his body, he discovered the blue silk sheets were shredded and twisted around his body. Every muscle within his body screamed in protest while he untangled himself._

_Sitting on the edge of the bed, Clark looked down at his feet to discover there were feathers all over the floor. Lifting his head, he looked across the room at the window. His cheeks flamed as his eyes traced over a perfect imprint of Chloe’s form. `Kal` wanted her so badly he’d taken her right by the door. The sex was so rough he was surprised they hadn’t broken the glass._

_CDs scattered all over the floor when `Kal` backed into the cabinet. His eyes followed the trail of broken CDs that were obviously stepped on in his haste to get to the couch. The metal frame rest strangely, now broken in the center with the cushions sinking down to the floor. His jeans were ripped and thrown across the glass topped coffee table and his boots kicked across the room._

_The bed protested and cracked completely when Clark stood. Walking across the room, he noticed the stale scent of sex permeated the room. Her scent surrounded him as he made his way to the bathroom. Flicking on the light, he stared at his reflection. His fingers slowly touched the fang marks at his pulse point as he whispered, “Yours.”_

_`Kal` said those very words when he finally managed to dominate her. His final release was at the very moment when Chloe said, “Mine,” and his seed filled her again._

Clark glanced down at Chloe noting how she seemed unaffected by her lack of clothing. Switching into super speed, he wondered how he was going to manage grabbing her dress and boots without moving her. Not having the heart to wake her, he decided to retrieve the items later.

=====

Jonathan glanced at Martha when she sighed unhappily with the sudden swoosh of the air. Clark’s actions were quicker than their human eyes, but years of experience clued him into the party responsible. It could either be swept under the rug or seized as an opportunity to remind Clark that Chloe and Kal weren’t his excuse to use super speed in the house.

Jonathan noticed the silent question Martha was asking him with her eyes. She believed it was his turn to say something. He was too tired to be the bad guy. He sighed, knowing Clark used his other abilities in the house without incident. His heat vision was used on a regular basis to reheat, and make toast. His son made toast better than any toaster.

Over the years, he wondered why no one questioned their absence of a microwave. No need for one with Clark. Jonathan realized two appliances would have to be purchased. If he doubted that Clark would go with Chloe to Wolf Lake it was vanquished with Chloe’s rant this afternoon. He could only hope that the past actions wouldn’t be repeated. It made his blood run cold when his first thought had been that the pack made the Luthors sound like amateurs.

Jonathan and Martha hadn’t had the chance to discuss anything that was learned because of Kal. He honestly wasn’t certain that his opinion mattered. Nothing could be done now.

=====

Clark half expected his mom to yell after him. His action was quicker than the human eye but there were other tell-tale signs: papers fluttering, air around him being pushed outwards, which allowed him to be discovered. He believed his excuse was valid.

Clark noticed how Chloe hadn’t even stirred as he laid her down. She’d mumbled to herself before grabbing his pillow. Her large intake of breath made him pause until he heard her sigh of contentment.

His scent was imbedded within the pillow. It was temporarily being his replacement. Clark was puzzled when his attempt to cover her was greeted with a snarl. ‘First Chloe wants me touching her and now she snaps at me,’ he thought while slipped out of his room.

======

Clark walked slowly over to the table. His posture sullen, giving the impression he was aware of how his actions displeased her. A blush formed on his cheeks when he heard, “What happened to your shirt?”

His preoccupation with Chloe had made him completely forget that his shirt had been ripped to shreds and currently was in the woods. He prayed his back was completely healed. His mild embarrassment earlier would be miniscule if the claw marks were still present.

Relief washed over him when Martha decided not to press the issue by informing Clark there were two plates in the oven. “Thanks. Chloe is exhausted.”

Glancing at Kal, Clark noticed his son looked about ready to fall asleep. “I’ll eat after I give Kal a bath and put him to bed,” he stated. _‘Kal must be tired,’_ he thought when Kal didn’t inform him, “no.”

Clark nodded, acknowledging his mom, when she informed him the diaper bag was in the living room. “Are you done?” he asked. After Kal nodded, Clark moved the plate onto the table. Lifting the tray, he unbuckled Kal and picked him up. “Mom, I’ll clean this up.” Clark wasn’t fooled by her focus being on the pie. He expected to find the plate in the sink and the high chair in the kitchen. Normally, Martha did the dishes after finishing her desert. Looking down at Kal, he asked, “Can you say good night?”

“Night,” Kal replied.

Clark slung the bag over his shoulder before walking upstairs to the bathroom. Closing the bathroom door, he discovered Chloe hadn’t unpacked any of Kal’s bath stuff. Seeing there wasn’t a plastic cup either, he said, “How about you just take a shower with dad.”

=====

Clark glanced at the bed seeing Chloe hadn’t stirred once since he’d entered the room with Kal, who’d practically fallen asleep in his arms. Switching into x-ray vision, he found the suitcase belonging to Kal. Flipping it open, he got a pair of pjs and a diaper. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, he dried Kal off completely before putting his diaper and pjs on him. He laid Kal down and pulled the covers over him.

Undoing the knot at his waist, Clark dried off completely before getting dressed again. Slipping a clean t-shirt over his head, he glanced over at Kal to double check that he was indeed asleep before opening the door. Closing the door behind him, he went downstairs where he found his mom and dad curled together on the couch.

Going into the kitchen, Clark took one of the plates out of the oven. His stomach growled as he looked down to see chicken, potatoes, and corn. He got a fork and knife from the silverware drawer before going over to the table. Sitting down, he started to eat, his mind jumbled with different issues that still needed to be discussed.


	13. Chapter 13

Matthew Donner walked into the Talon with his daughter firmly attached to his hip. His heightened sense of smell detected Chloe’s scent almost immediately. Sighing, he continued to make his way toward the counter. Reaching the counter, he said, “I’d like a small hot cocoa, large coffee, blueberry muffin, and a turkey sandwich, please.”

Matt smiled brightly when Lana mentioned extra milk or whipped cream for the cocoa. He’d forgotten how hot the beverage would be. “Please,” he answered. When she asked what he wanted on his sandwich, he answered that he wanted lettuce, tomato, and mayo.

Reaching into his back pocket, Matt took out his wallet and handed her a twenty. As he took his change from her and she asked about his daughter, he wondered if everyone in this town was overly friendly. 

He was becoming slightly annoyed with her overbearing friendliness. His eyebrow rose slightly when she said, “I’m sure she will love the muffins. Everyone loves Mrs. Kent’s baked goods.” 

Matt decided to use her chattiness to his advantage. “Kent any relation to Clark Kent?”

“Yes. Clark is her son. Do you know the Kents?” the brunette asked.

Matt couldn’t miss how her brown eyes became almost dreamy when she spoke his name. _‘This is going to be fun.’_ There was something about her that bugged him. He couldn’t put his finger on what it was, though. “No. My daughter is friends with his son, Kal Kent.” 

Matt was amused by the instant outrage he read in her brown eyes. _‘The infamous Lana Lang, I presume.’_ Chloe had told him she believed Clark truly loved Lana Lang. Until now, he’d speculated it was merely an excuse for Chloe to validate her own actions. 

“Chloe has some nerve. She can’t even tell Clark about the baby, but gives the boy his last name,” Lana snapped.

Matt was quickly losing his patience. Her jealousy was more than obvious even without his heightened senses. He started to move to the other counter to pick up his order. “You shouldn’t judge someone until you’ve walked in their shoes.” 

=====

His heightened sense of hearing allowed Clark to hear his name. Tilting his head, he attempted to identify the man speaking. His eyes darkened in annoyance when he heard Lana. Pushing the chair back, he stood and went into the living room. “I have to run to the Talon,” he informed his parents. 

Clark paused at the door when he heard, “Kal Kent.” He couldn’t stop the huge grin from forming as his soul filled with pride. _‘Chloe gave Kal my last name.’_ He hadn’t thought about asking Chloe about their son’s last name, had simply assumed she’d given Kal the name she was using. 

Opening the door, Clark forced himself to focus on his mystery man. His heart beat faster, wondering if this was friend or foe. Stepping outside, he slipped into super speed and rushed toward the Talon. He skidded to a stop a short distance from the cafe.

Clark stayed far enough away from the Talon to avoid being seen by any of the pedestrians. He stared at the tall dark-haired man. The curly-headed toddler held the man’s complete attention. “Sherman Blackstone?” he mumbled.

Clark’s hands clenched and unclenched at his side; his patience was running low. Clark suspected the man was Skinwalker and could hear him, which made it appear the man eating a sandwich with his toddler was ignoring him. Noticing the slight shake of the man’s head, he snapped, “Who the hell are you, then?”

The only thing stopping Clark from racing across the street and into the Talon was Lana. His actions would draw too much attention. Hearing a number being recited, he pulled out his cell phone and dialed. He listened intently as the man answered, “Matt Donner. My daughter and I are going to finish eating. I’ll contact Chloe tomorrow.”

“Why should I trust you?” Clark asked. He almost dropped his cell when he heard, “I have to meet with the Sheriff in the afternoon. I’m Gabe Sullivan’s lawyer.” _‘Was Mr. Sullivan dead?’_

Clark listened to the tone signaling Matt Donner had ended the call. Slipping his phone back in his jeans, he ran his hands through his hair in frustration. He sighed, knowing nothing was being accomplished standing there watching them. 

======

Matt almost groaned aloud when he noticed Lana walking his way. He suspected Lana was going to try to get information out of him about Chloe since he’d mentioned knowing her son. His instincts were generally right on. 

“I was just curious where you are from?” Lana asked.

Matt put his best man-eating smile on before he answered, “I’d tell you but then I’d have to kill you.” His hearing detected the slight change in her heart rate as she pushed her hair over her shoulder and giggled; he knew he’d frightened her.

“Sorry to have bothered you.”

He knew she was lying. His eyes narrowed when she walked away and called him an asshole. _‘That’s like the pot calling the kettle black.’_ He put the half eaten muffin in the bag before standing and picking Sophia up.

Walking out of the Talon, Matt said, “I think that is the most annoying human I have ever met.” Glancing in Clark’s direction, he allowed his eyes to glow gold, something he hadn’t done in years, before he spoke, “The answer to your unspoken question is friend.”

=====

His eyes narrowed when Clark noticed Lana. He wished Lana would mind her own business. Lana couldn’t seem to get it through her head that Clark wasn’t interested in her. Neither Chloe nor Kal were tools she could use to worm her way back into his life. He wasn’t the least surprised with Lana’s actions, though. 

Clark suspected there was real truth in the words Matt had spoken. He hoped Matt was attempting to scare Lana into minding her own business. Chloe’s warnings about the pack flashed in his mind. _‘The pack eliminates what they perceive to be potential threats.’_

Clark started to make his way toward the Talon. Hearing confirmation that Matt was indeed a Skinwalker made Clark stop suddenly. He stepped backwards when Matt’s eyes glowed. Relief washed over him with the confirmation that Matt could be considered a friend. 

Clark blinked in surprise when Matt disappeared before his eyes. Switching into super speed, he sped back to the farm, his mind racing as fast as his body.

=====

Chloe slowly became conscious. She stretched and arched her body while inhaling deeply. Her eyes glowed a bright golden hue as the scent of her lover lingered around her. She bit into her lip to keep from moaning aloud when she realized how incredibly wet and achy she felt. Swinging her legs over the bed, she went over to his closet.

Chloe looked through his shirts, hunting for one to wear as a dress. She braced her arms against the walls and rubbed her legs together. Her pheromones filled the room as her body prepared itself. She shivered and her body trembled while her mind screamed in argument. 

Grabbing his black button-down shirt, Chloe slipped it on. Her hands trembled with each button she fastened. Glancing at Kal, she double checked to make certain he was sleeping soundly before opening the door, then she crept downstairs in search of Clark.

=====

Clark was leaning against the counter with a forkful of scrumptious apple pie at his lips when Chloe walked downstairs. His eyes roamed hungrily over her, admiring how his shirt sculpted to her frame. He attempted to focus on his pie and quickly stuffed a bite into his mouth. Setting his fork down, he opened the oven to get her plate. Swallowing his food, he said, “I’m not touching you until you’ve eaten.”

His eyes followed the actions of her tongue as Chloe licked her lips. His jeans tightened as his body responded to her nearness. Her pheromones invaded his nostrils as she said, “I’m starving, but what I’m craving is you.” He quickly focused on the plate when for the first time since his teens he lost control of his heat vision.

Clark wasn’t amused by her giggles. Grabbing hold of her, he pinned her body to the countertop, as he set a plate heaped with chicken, potatoes, and corn in front of her. He was mildly amused by her growl of annoyance as he pressed his body firmly into hers to show her his throbbing hardness tight against her ass as he growled in her ear, “You are eating every morsel.”

=====

His scent overpowered and invaded her senses, making her core throb with each breath Chloe took. Food was not what she desperately needed and wanted. She thrust her hips backwards and ground her ass into his hardness, her juices’ practically dripping from her tight slit as more of her essence surrounded him. “You’re going to be the alpha male,” she growled. Her growl turned into a whimper as her words made her want to submit to him.

Hearing his intake of air made Chloe feel if she continued, Clark would give her what she wanted. She pouted when his hands moved to her hips and forced her to remain still. She sensed Clark was confused by her statement and her actions were making him more suspicious. Her speculation was confirmed when his hand slipped between their bodies to gently touch her outer lips.

“You’re in heat,” Clark growled.

Chloe mewled when his finger brushed against where she desperately needed his attention. She sobbed when his hold on her prevented her attempts to sway him. “No. Something triggered my body to ready itself,” she whimpered. 

Turning her head, she looked directly into his eyes, “This is pre-estrus, my body preparing for my heat. It wasn’t like this before, I feel …” She paused trying to translate her feelings into words, “It’s like an unquenchable thirst where I ache and pulse with desire so strong I can taste it.”

Chloe could tell Clark wasn’t happy with the pain that shone in her beautiful eyes. She arched into his touch as he brushed his thumb over the faint marks and whispered in her ear, “Relax, Chlo… Don’t fight it. I promise I’ll fulfill your cravings.”

Chloe picked up the fork as her mate’s promise soothed her. “I can’t eat all this. I think your mom made this plate for you,” she snarked. Her eyes glowed momentarily when she heard his response, _‘no. Stop whining and do as you’re told.’_ The alpha female part of her couldn’t decide if she wanted to challenge him or submit.

Chloe was aware that during a mating the female submitted to her mate. Her body demanded Clark take her like she was meant to be claimed. She couldn’t help but be suspicious Clark was still be concerned his strength would inadvertently hurt her. _‘Promise me you won’t hold back.’_

Chloe understood Clark was afraid of what would happen if his control slipped. _‘I don’t want to hurt you.’_ She reasoned there hadn’t been a sense of control when Kal had been conceived. _‘Self-healing!’_

She rolled her eyes when he instantly replied, _‘I don’t care if you’re self-healing.’_

She tried not to be angry at his seeming refusal. She stuffed some of the chicken into her mouth to keep from raging about his unfairness It was perfectly fine for her to claw him. _‘Double standard.’_ Swallowing the chicken, she mumbled, “I’m no damn china doll.”

=====

Clark opened his mouth to reply but quickly clamped it shut. He didn’t want to admit Chloe was right. Her claws always dug into his back like butter. He noticed a sly smile on her face which made him ponder the possible reason.

Clark didn’t have to wait long when Chloe shifted her hips making her butt press into him as she reached for the mug containing her mocha. His eyebrow rose when she flipped the lid off, she pressed into him harder as she said, “Can you heat that for me?” 

Her actions made her more excited; tormenting him with her motions and scent must make the her frustration worth every second. He focused a shallow beam inside the brown substance. Leaning forward, he blew a small amount of cold air across her skin and into the mug. 

He growled when his attempt to tease her backfired. His jeans were so tight against him that his fly threatened to burst. Clark could feel the teeth of his zipper biting into his erection. Her pheromones made his penis throb. He was positive his balls were blue. “One good thing: when this is over you can’t drink coffee,” he declared huskily.

====

Chloe bit her lip so hard she tasted blood. She almost laughed, knowing his growl was in response to getting a dose of her scent. Swallowing the food in her mouth, she took a large gulp from the mug. After her mouth was empty, she teased, “Mmmm.”

Chloe felt Clark unbutton his jeans, probably hoping to alleviate some of the pressure. 

_‘Two can play.’_

She contemplated his meaning as he grabbed her hips. She whimpered when he held her firmly in place and then ground into her. Her fork clanged on the plate as she asked, “Can I have my dessert now?”

“What do you want for dessert?” Clark teased.

“For you to unzip those jeans, fill me, pound into me while I’m squeezing you tight, make me spasm until you pulse deep inside me,” Chloe demanded. She licked her lips while she continued her tease mentally. _‘You’re so thick and large, just thinking about how snug and tight you fit makes my juices flow.’_ Her laughter echoed off the walls as Clark spun her around and picked her up. Everything around her blurred as he sped out to the barn.


	14. Chapter 14

Chloe’s growl echoed as Clark put her down in front of him. She gasped when Clark ripped her shirt open. “It was just like the one I stole,” she whined, her bottom lip puffed out in a pout. She’d wanted to keep the buttons intact this time. His hands teased her flesh and her body pulsed with anticipation as Clark slipped the material over her shoulders.

“Now it’s just like my other one,” Clark teased.

Chloe found no humor in his statement. Her nipples hardened in response to him when Clark stepped back and openly admired the beauty before him. Her eyes watched him hungrily as he quickly kicked off his boots and then pushed his boxers and jeans over his hips.

She licked her lips, loving how his body always reminded her of a Greek god. “God among men,” she murmured. She sensed his displeasure at her words.

“I’m not a god. I blew my ship up because it told me to rule with an iron fist,” Clark growled.

“Oh… the pack believes they were gods among men who should rule with an iron fist.” 

“Another reason for me not to like them!” 

Chloe was becoming impatient with his inability to be where she wanted him. She wanted to scream when he moved closer but still kept himself out of her reach.

“Didn’t think you wanted to talk.” 

Stepping forward, Chloe responded, “I thought I was having you for dessert.” Her eyes flashed golden when air swooshed around her. Her growl caught in her throat as she felt Clark pressing into her from behind.

Every cell within her body pulsed as Clark wrapped his arms around her waist and held her tightly against him. Chloe nibbled on her bottom lip as his breath teased the back of her neck as he said, “You liked teasing me.”

Chloe contemplated her retort as his lips brushed against her rapidly beating pulse, and she growled in frustration, “Teasing you is more fun.”

“Kneel down,” Clark ordered.

Chloe licked her lips. Her body trembled knowing from prior experience how much pleasure she received in the position he wanted her in. Getting down on her hands and knees, she leaned forward on her arms.

====

Kneeling down Clark positioned himself so his feet were next to his butt. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he held onto her waist and thrust deep inside of her wet tight core. “Safe word.” 

Clark couldn’t help but snicker when her grunts from his deep penetration turned to snarls. He had no intention of continuing until she complied.The risk of her changing was too high. Hearing her response, “Shift,” he smirked when Chloe rocked her hips backwards and moaned, “Clark…”

Clark drove into her hard and fast loving how tightly she sheathed around him. With each thrust, he could feel more of her juices coating him. His grunts equaled her mewls of pleasure while she rocked her body to keep in sync with him.

“Don’t stop…” Chloe screamed.

His head plowed into her g-spot as her walls clamped tightly around him, and he grunted in response. His hand moved up her body to cup and tease her breast as he continued to plunge into her clamping sheath. _‘Wouldn’t dream of it.’_

Clark sensed his words were like a sort of deja vu, reminding Chloe of how he’d spoken them in Metropolis. She’d climaxed just as hard and fast that day as she was now. This time instead of screaming his name, she was grunting and moaning in ecstasy.

Clark growled as her climax hit him full force. He clamped his eyes shut as his heat vision threatened to fire. The sensations from their link and the way she clamped around him like a vise intensified his feeling. Driving hard and deep into her, his hardness pulsed before his hot seed flowed into her. He drove deeper as Chloe rammed her hips back into his as she writhed in rapture.

“Ccc…lar..kkk!”

Clark shifted her body to press back against his chest, and a whimper slipped past her lips. His movement drove his head against her g-spot, stimulating her more. His hands slowly slid down her sides to rest on her hips and he breathed in deeply as he felt her climax again. _‘I just got my vision under control,’_ he thought as his eyes itched again. “Do you want to change positions?”

======

Chloe didn’t care what position. Only wanted him to slam into her over and over again. She protested as Clark lifted her off his lap. “Clark…” Her eyes glowed golden when Clark chuckled. She was annoyed that he continued to tease her.

Chloe found herself facing him and straddling his lap. She much preferred facing him so she could look into his blue-green eyes.

“I believe this was what finally made the couch break,” Clark admitted.

Wrapping her hand around his thick shaft, Chloe swiftly sank down into his lap. Her legs brushed against his sides as her hips moved. “I think you broke it,” she taunted.

Chloe giggled, enjoying how Clark pretended to be innocent of her accusations. She moaned when one of his hands traveled to her hip and his other to her right breast, and his mouth closed over the other. Her cells were a live wire of pleasure from the steady rhythm she set making him pound into her.

She craved their joinings no matter what method, and she always wanted more of him. Her back arched as his mouth slipped from her breast to be replaced by his hand and his thumb brushing against the hardened peak of her other breast.

_‘So good.’_

Even without their link, she knew her multiple orgasms always drove him wild. Chloe sensed his release approaching. Her walls fluttered around his length, and he thrust deeper as he filled her.

Chloe gasped. Her final orgasm pushed her dangerously close to a shift. Pressing on his chest, she violently propelled herself away from him. She squatted close to him, breathing in deeply and then slowly exhaling. Hearing Clark grumble about a safe word, she glared at him with glowing eyes.

Chloe slowly regained control as her breathing returned to normal and her golden eyes dimmed. His concern about his strength made her sigh. She didn’t know whether to be annoyed with his protectiveness or find it too sweet. The small amount of pain after vigorous sex was nothing compared to having his baby.

Standing, Chloe hissed at the mild discomfort. She couldn’t miss the displeasure in his eyes when Clark stood next to her. Her eyes rolled when she found herself in his arms.

“I want to give you something when we get to my room.” 

Chloe wondered if his words were meant to distract her from her plan to inform him she could walk. “What?” she asked curiously. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she placed her head against his chest.

=====

Clark sped them into the house. Closing his bedroom door, he was thankful their screams hadn’t woken his parents or Kal. Placing Chloe on the bed, he opened the drawer on his stand and took out the bracelet. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, he said, “Kyla Willowbrook was a skinwalker who believed I was Naman, a being from the stars prophesied to travel to Earth.”

Clark noticed Chloe bit her lip to keep from interrupting him. The wave of jealousy from her over Kyla and him dating for a short time passed over their link. He’d been intrigued by Kyla. His attraction formed through his drive for knowledge about the caves. “I didn’t know when I met her that Kyla was a Skinwalker or that she was responsible for the death of the foreman and the white wolf that attacked my mom.”

Clark wasn’t surprised when her eyes glowed in reaction to Kyla threatening Martha. He could tell that Chloe was relieved Kyla hadn’t hurt Martha. His own anger had allowed him to discover that Kyla was the white wolf. “I was at Luthor mansion when Kyla attacked Lionel Luthor. She jumped through one of the windows and was badly injured.”

Clark recalled the pain he’d felt at not being able to save her. His pain warred with his anger, since she’d hurt people. “Kyla was sorry and claimed she only wanted to protect her ancient grounds. It hadn’t been her intention to hurt anyone. She was sorry she wasn’t the one for me and called me Naman as she died.” 

At the time, Clark had been confused by her words. “Later, her grandfather Joseph gave me her bracelet and told me to give it to the one I was destined to be with.” He understood now, Chloe was meant to wear it. She was his mate, the one he was fated to be with.

=====

Chloe looked down at Clark’s hand to see a beautiful white gold cuff bracelet with an elaborate design surrounding a triangular pale-blue quartz. It reminded her of the talisman Clark had given back to her. She couldn’t help but wonder if the two were originally a pair. “It’s beautiful.”

She watched in awe as Clark slowly slipped the bracelet onto her wrist.

“Not as beautiful as you, my true one,” Clark stated huskily.

Chloe swore the piece molded tight to her wrist as he spoke to her. There was a mild sensation of warmth at her wrist. Almost as if it recognized it belonged to her. Turning her wrist, she blinked when she found it was no longer a cuff bracelet. “Is it supposed to do that?”

Clark ran his fingers over the skin near the bracelet, giving her the impression he was baffled by the piece changing so Chloe would have no way of removing it.

======

“I don’t know anything about it other than I was to give it to my mate,” Clark admitted. 

His hope was the mysteries surrounding the caves, bracelet, and Naman would be revealed through what he could discover about her bloodline. “Can you change for me?” he requested.

“If this is because of earlier, you better find a way to get used to me being in pain occasionally!” 

“No, I want to see what happens with the bracelet when you shift.” 

Clark didn’t nor would he ever like being responsible for her pain. His eyebrow rose when Chloe pointed her finger at him.

“I will, but first I was already in pain before we had sex. Second, I will continue to be all achy and demandy. Third, all that combined is nothing compared to having just one of your pups,” Chloe babbled.

Clark watched in awe as Chloe shifted into her natural form. He snickered when she snarled at him as he reached for her. “That’s not even a word,” he teased.

Ignoring her snarl, Clark gently pushed her down on the mattress. His hand moved through her thick fur as his fingers sought out the talisman. He smirked when she rolled slightly.

Clark knew Chloe wanted to be annoyed with him. Her temperament changed when his touch made her want to lie still and let him pet her. Her tail moved slowly across the mattress while she yielded. She couldn’t stop herself from enjoying his hands moving through her fur.

Clark started to rub her belly amazed at the softness of her fur. He felt the outline of the talisman deeply embedded within her fur. It appeared to do the same thing as his bracelet, making him believe it might have originally been a set passed down from generation to generation.

Clark grinned when her fur disappeared before his eyes. He licked his lips at the sight laid out before him as Chloe scooted up the bed to rest her head against the pillows. His eyes trained in on her body, slowly drinking in her beauty. He felt like she was beckoning him to come to her as Chloe spread her legs further apart in an open invitation.

Unable to resist, Clark covered her body with his own and quickly sank into her warm channel. His hands glided down her legs showing her he wanted her to wrap her legs around his hips. He figured Chloe had a bit more power to control his speed and rhythm.

Clark loved how their bodies were skin to skin as Chloe arched her back. Leaning down, he brought his mouth to hers, wanting to mellow her screams. His tongue battled with hers as the sensations of their bodies so tightly pressed together fueled him, making Clark pound into her as her walls started to flutter around him. His growl of satisfaction was muffled by their fused mouths.

His own climax rapidly approached as Chloe gripped his shoulders tighter and her back arched further off the bed. Mentally, Clark could feel her euphoria course through every cell in her body, which triggered his release and simultaneously edged her into another orgasm.

Clark broke the kiss, knowing Chloe desperately needed to breathe. Rolling their bodies, he slowly slipped from inside of her. Running his hand along her spine, he couldn’t help but grin since she was unable to keep her eyes open. His own eyes were becoming heavy as he followed her over the cliff to the sleep that summoned him.


	15. Chapter 15

Slowly slipping from the bed, Clark glanced over at Kal to see him still fast asleep. If possible, he wanted to keep Kal from waking Chloe. His plan was to take a quick shower before his son decided to start his day.

Grabbing some clean clothes, Clark listened for his parents before opening the door. He tried not to think about breaking his mom’s rule again as he switched into super speed. _What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her._

Clark sped down the hallway and into the bathroom. Closing the door, he placed his clothes on the counter before reaching into the tub and starting the water. After pulling the lever, he stepped into the tub and closed the curtain. He sighed in contentment as the hot water flowed over his skin. 

Steam filled the small room and billowed out from underneath the small space at the bottom of the door. Squeezing shampoo into his hand, he brought his hands to his hair and massaged his scalp.Titling his head back into the spray, he rinsed the lather from his locks while reaching for the soap.

Clark rubbed the soap into a washcloth before setting the bar down. He moved the material over his body to form a soap film. Stepping further into the spray, he rinsed off. Shutting off the water, he opened the curtain.

Grabbing a clean towel, Clark quickly dried off his body and stepped out onto the rug. Wrapping the towel loosely around his waist, he went over to the sink to brush his teeth. 

Placing his toothbrush back in the holder, Clark picked up his hair brush with one hand and ran a cloth over the mirror to remove the condensation. After brushing his long locks, he looked at his reflection and pondered if it might be time to use his heat vision to cut his hair.

Clark frowned when he heard, _‘Don’t you dare.’_ His hope of Kal not waking Chloe was obviously misguided. _‘I was going to let you sleep.’_ he replied while unwrapping the towel from around his waist. After drying his body off completely, he picked his boxers up. Stepping into them, he pulled the material up his legs.

Despite himself, Clark couldn’t stop grinning when Chloe informed him mentally that Kal was awake and that he rose like his dad. Stepping into his jeans, he asked, ‘Can you get him dressed? Mom should be up soon.’

His comment might get him in hot water with her but Clark reasoned that he had chores. Her pheromones might be milder but it still drove him crazy. Pulling his t-shirt over his head, he attempted a different tactic. _‘I haven’t even started coffee yet.’_

His words reminded him of the mess they’d left in the kitchen: her dishes, his partially eaten pie and her coffee mug were still on the counter. Her silence was starting to make Clark feel apprehensive. _‘Chlo…?’_ he questioned while opening the door. Stepping into the hallway, he was instantly assaulted by her scent.

In hopes of conveying his reasons for his suggestion, Clark tried, _‘I’m not saying I want to lock you in my room. I just thought you could use some extra sleep.’_ He stepped over the step that always squeaked as he made his way downstairs.

Discovering his mom and dad hadn’t gotten up yet, Clark breathed a sigh of relief. Rushing over to the window, he opened it to diffuse her scent teasing his senses. He turned on the coffeemaker before switching into super speed to clean away all remnants of last night. He double checked before turning on his heel to go back upstairs.

======

Chloe wasn’t purposely ignoring Clark. Her hands were full with her overly stimulated hormones and a very rambunctious Kal. Martha watching Kal for a little wouldn’t be a problem. She was perfectly capable of taking care of her son, though. After all, she would have to if they weren’t here.

Chloe licked her lips at the prospect of coffee. It sounded delightful, especially with some macadamia nut creamer. His comment about being locked away made her more irritated. She had no intention of hiding in his room all day.

Chloe discovered that she really needed to do some laundry after getting Kal a pair of jeans and t-shirt. Her thoughts reminded her that her dress and cowboy boots were still in the woods. She frowned, knowing most of her things were dry clean only. She would have to ask Clark to take her dry cleaning to a dry cleaners, get diapers, work boots, and a few outside toys.

She wanted to take either a long shower or soak in the tub after consuming some coffee. If Martha didn’t mind, she could do that while Kal was eating his breakfast. She assumed Martha was going to spoil Kal by making him fresh hot blueberry muffins.

======

Clark stepped into his room to discover his bedroom was in shambles.The contents of the suitcases were scattered all around. Kal was dressed only in a diaper and a pair of socks. He was holding a pair of jeans in his hand and there was a t-shirt next to him on the bed. 

Closing the door, Clark assumed Kal wanted to dress himself when Chloe informed Kal the jeans were backwards. He watched Kal pull the jeans out of her reach when she attempted to show him.  
“Me do it!” Kal snapped.

Clark tried to ignore the fact that Chloe wasn’t dressed yet by focusing his attention on Kal. “Kal!” he warned.

Kal stopped moving when he was yelled at.

Reaching into his closet, Clark grabbed one of his flannel shirts off a hanger and handed it to Chloe. Ignoring her huff, he asked, “You or Kal?”

“Me. I was looking for the bag with the bathroom stuff,” Chloe answered.

Clark moved closer to the bed and took the jeans from Kal. His eyebrow rose and he wondered if Kal was going to speak to him like he’d done with Chloe. Turning the denim around, he stated, “This is what mom was trying to show you.”

Kal nodded his head and reached for the jeans.

Clark turned his attention back to Chloe as Kal started to get dressed. He watched Chloe slip into his flannel shirt. ‘Never looked that good on me,’ he thought to himself. His eyes lingered while he admired how his shirt clung to her curves. He could tell that Chloe was attempting not to mention how Skinwalkers had no qualms with nudity.

Clark switched into x-ray vision to search each bag. His eyes turned back to normal as he found the bag. Setting it close to the bed, he said, “This one has shampoos and other soaps.” Suspecting she’d want the bathroom toys too, he started to look for it. Setting the bag next to the other he said, “I can put them in the bathroom for you.”

=====

“No. I can do that,” Chloe declared.

His suggestion made her mildly irritated. She nibbled on her bottom lip to keep from snapping at him. Believing her best course of action was to keep busy, she started to sort through some of the mess making several different piles. “Your mom won’t mind if I do some laundry?”

Chloe assumed her comment made Clark remember their clothes were still in the barn as he replied, “No. I’ve got to run out to the barn.” She blew her hair out of her face when Clark fled to retrieve their clothes. 

‘Get my sundress and boots from the woods.’ Chloe reminded him while looking through her suitcase for something to wear later. Deciding on a white tank top and metal studded black mini skirt, she sat them on the bed. She thought the flannel was too short to wear around Martha and Jonathan.

Chloe had slipped on a navy blue skirt when Clark reappeared with their clothes. Setting her boots by the bed, Clark asked, “Did you want me to put this in the hamper?”

“No. It’s dry clean only,” Chloe answered. 

Pointing to the pile near her boots, she instructed, “Put it with those.” She tried to focus on the tasks at hand when her body responded to his appreciation. Glancing at him out of the corner of her eye, she believed he felt it was safer if he left the bedroom.

Kal had dressed himself in his jeans and was attempting to pull on his t-shirt. Seeing his dad was leaving again, he said, “Dada.”

Chloe couldn’t help but smile when Kal stopped Clark from fleeing. She watched Clark sit down on the edge.

=====

“Can I put your sneakers on?” Clark asked. He picked the right one up when Kal gave him his right foot. Slipping the sneaker on his foot, he picked up the other.

Kal put his left foot in front of Clark while he put his arms into the shirt. Pulling it down, he said, “I do it.”

“You did,” Clark said before scooping Kal up. “I’m carrying you downstairs,” he declared. Turning his attention to Chloe, he said, “Coffee is done. Why don’t you have a cup then come back up to finish this.” 

His eyebrow rose when Chloe grabbed her purse before following him and Kal out of the bedroom.

Clark put Kal down in the living room near his toys. “You can play while mom and I have coffee. Grandma will probably make you blueberry muffins for breakfast.” 

Kal was about to sit when Clark mentioned muffins. “Eat?” 

“Grandma hasn’t made them yet,” Clark answered. Thinking Kal might be thirsty, he asked, “You want some milk?”

“Juice,” Kal answered.

“I tried to tell you. Kal doesn’t like milk,” Chloe warned.

Clark filled two mugs with coffee. Opening the fridge, he took out the creamer and poured some into her coffee before placing the jug back into the fridge. He wondered why Chloe giggled when he tried to tell Kal their milk came fresh from cows.

Kal held his tractor and looked up at Clark with curious eyes as he asked, “Cows?”

Clark understood now why Chloe had laughed. _‘Now I have to explain.’_ “We have dairy cows that we get our milk from. It’s better than the store’s milk.” 

“Milk gross,” Kal replied. 

“You have to drink milk. It’s good for you,” Clark argued. Watching Kal head back into the living room, he assumed Kal decided he wasn’t thirsty. He turned his attention back to Chloe, still curious why she needed her purse. 

Clark could tell that Chloe was mildly amused by his attempt to get their son to drink milk.

“I was wondering if you could run some errands for me after you finish your chores.”

“And your purse is required?” Clark asked slightly confused. 

Clark waited for Chloe to answer as she drank some more of her coffee. Setting the mug down she answered, “To give you one of my credit cards to get cash and to make a list.” His eyebrow rose when she opened her purse and took out a small pad of paper and pen.

Clark sipped his coffee and watched her make a list. “Dry cleaning? You pay someone to clean your clothes?” he asked disbelievingly. Chloe had mentioned laundry. He asked, “I thought you wanted to do laundry.”

“Dry cleaning is different from laundry. I have to wash Kal’s clothes, and a couple of my skirts are washable.” Sensing his confusion, Chloe continued, “Silks, wools, and some other materials can’t be washed.”

Chloe had written down boots, diapers, and outside toys. His eyes about bugged out of his head when he saw several credit cards in her purse. Clark forced himself to look away and focus on her hand as she pushed the credit card and list toward him. 

“I figured a good pair of work boots will cost around $85. Plus the diapers will probably be close to a hundred. So you could spend two hundred at the t.o.y.s store. ‘Cause the max you can withdraw is three hundred.”

Clark was staring at Chloe like she had lost her mind. He had never been one to spend money. She acted like the amount didn’t matter to her. He glanced down at Kal when he practically ran into the kitchen. 

“Toys. Me go.”

_‘Guess Kal can spell toys.’_

“The sneakers Kal has on are fifty. Just cause he is smaller doesn’t make the items any cheaper.” 

“Me go?” Kal asked again. Titling his head upward, he did his best puppy dog eye impression.

“I have to do chores after I finish my coffee. I’m not going till later.” 

Clark sighed when the bottom lip popped out more. Picking the card and list up, he put them in his front pocket and asked, “Password?”

“Kent. You know that whatever you get will get lots of use not just by Kal but by his brothers or sisters.” 

Martha walked into the kitchen, followed by Jonathan. Catching the tail end of their conversation, she asked, “You’re pregnant?”

Chloe blushed, knowing she had to explain her heat to Martha. “No. I can explain after you have coffee and breakfast.” 

Chloe recalled how Clark had once complained about how his dad gave him the birds and the bees speech during his teen years.“You can explain to your dad.” She smiled as Jonathan snickered and sat down at the table near her. 

“I think my son is turning green.”

Martha sat down with a mug of coffee. “I’m going to make muffins, eggs, bacon, and toast after my cup of coffee.” 

Chloe could tell from how Martha spoke that she could expect a plate with a Clark sized portion to be put down in front of her.

“Grandpa, Dada go toys.” 

“Are we?” Jonathan asked. Looking over at Clark, he asked, “You taking the truck?” 

“Geez dad, you make it sound like I’d buy out the store,” Clark complained.

“Clark, you’re going to go and see a bunch of t.o.y.s,” Jonathan said.

“Toys,” Kal repeated.

“He can spell toys,” Clark stated.

“Believe me, you will want to buy him a bunch of things,” Jonathan declared. He drank some of his coffee before he said, “You should take the truck that way it doesn’t look suspicious when you carry out a bunch of items.”

Clark knew his dad was right. He just hated how it took so much time to drive there. “I might. I have to drop off her dry cleaning, get shoes and diapers.” Glancing at his mom, he asked, “Do you have clothes that get dry cleaned?”

“Yes. I have several dresses that require dry cleaning,” Martha answered. She had noticed the change in Chloe’s wardrobe. “That cute red sundress you wore yesterday must be dry cleaning,” she commented.

“Yes. Most of my clothes are silk. Some have beads, studs. All of which can’t go in the washer,” Chloe stated. She hoped that there were no major stains on it since Clark had left it in the woods. _‘Most of my clothes won’t fit me.’_

Clark had been trying really hard not to think about her heat. Her words floated into his mind, making him take in a deep breath, and he almost groaned aloud. Setting his empty mug down on the counter, he said, “I’m going to go start chores.” He really needed some fresh air.

“I’m going to start breakfast in a minute,” Martha declared.

_‘I’m not hungry for food,’_ Clark thought while responding, “I can get the animals fed while you’re cooking.”

His thoughts inadvertently reminded Chloe of what she was trying desperately not to think about. “Martha if you wouldn’t mind watching Kal while he’s eating breakfast, I’d like to take either a long shower or soak in the tub.” 

Chloe smirked knowing her question was causing Clark to think about her naked and wet. She nibbled on the inside of her lip when Martha replied, “Of course not. But not till after you have breakfast.” 

“Since Clark is going to run errands for you, maybe Kal and you could come with me to do my delivery,” she suggested.

“I can’t,” Chloe answered. She believed it would be in her best interest to stay on the farm.

=====

Jonathan suspected the reason had something to do with the impending birds and the bees speech which had made Clark almost turn green. “Since Clark is going to be running errands why don’t Clark and I do your delivery for you.” 

Jonathan knew Clark heard his dad’s suggestion since he had yet to make it out the door. Clark would protest because of Lana. “I’ll take the delivery inside.”

Jonathan could tell from her expression Martha wasn’t about to object. He heard her unspoken words about him wanting an an excuse to go to the toy store. 

======

Chloe thought it would be nice for Martha to spend time with her and Kal. She smiled when Martha agreed with Jonathan’s suggestion. 

“Me go?” 

Chloe smiled knowingly at the disaster that would ensue if Kal went with Clark and Jonathan. She imagined both dad and grandpa would be like big kids as they shopped.If Kal was added to the mix the two might just buy out the store. 

“No, you’re going to stay with me and grandma. Dad and Grandpa will bring you back a surprise.” .


	16. Chapter 16

Chloe sighed as she sank further into the steaming hot lavender and vanilla bubbles. She tried desperately to relax. The dull sensation had mildly increased during breakfast to the point where she’d almost bent her fork, she’d clutched it so tightly. She believed her attempt to block Clark from feeling the depth of her discomfort had worked, though.

Chloe tried to think of anything other than her current predicament. She realized too late closing her eyes was a bad idea. Her mind wandered to the object of her desire and conjured up all sorts of images. She breathed in deeply before submerging herself. 

Chloe wished the water rinsed away her wanton desires as easily as it did the suds. She hated how droplets trailing down her heated flesh felt like teasing caresses. Something so simple fueled her already heightened sex drive. 

Chloe thought of Clark’s hands as she massaged wild vanilla lotion into her skin. She ordered herself to focus on other tasks as she continued to get ready. She frowned at her reflection, knowing it was quite obvious what her body wanted. 

Her nipples were already tight pebbles barely hidden underneath the white tank top. The silver studs on her black mini skirt accented her curves. _‘I might as well be naked!’_

=====

Clark was finishing the stall when he was bombarded with sensations. His blood pumped faster as his body reacted. Breathing in deeply, he slowly exhaled as he tried to regain control. His mind reeled at the depth of her sexual frustration; it bordered on pain.

Clark quickly got Blacky back in the stall. He wanted to deal with Chloe. Him thinking Chloe was better than yesterday was obviously wrong. He realized she was attempting to block her emotions from him. He grumbled to himself about overprotective mates while he closed the gate.

He wanted to talk with Chloe right away but decided against it when his mom told him she was in the tub. He leaned against the wall as he contemplated other sleeping arrangements for their son. Enough space was in his mom’s small sewing room for Kal’s air mattress. 

His mind moved back to Chloe as Clark wondered how much effort it took for her to block him. He suspected she was completely focused on fighting her hormones. Stepping out of the shadows, he decided to find out. He smirked as he pulled her tight against him. 

======

Chloe looked across the room at the windows, attempting to concentrate on anything other than his body. She shivered as his breath teased her heated skin. Her body acknowledged his presence whether she wanted it to or not. She wanted to scream as the ache returned with a vengeance. 

Chloe trembled in his arms as Clark nibbled on the side of her neck. 

“I thought you weren’t in as much pain as yesterday. Why is that?”

Chloe gulped.Her attempt to shield him had inadvertently backfired. “I was…” she started. All form of speech was completely lost when his tongue brushed against his mark. Her body screamed for release while she fought to regain control. 

Chloe understood Clark was puzzled by her reaction. She believed his plan hadn’t been to come in here and seduce her. He just couldn’t resist taking her into his arms. All thoughts of what he’d intended simply flew out the window. 

“Thought you needed this.”

Breaking free of his hold, Chloe started to move quickly away from him. “Yes and no.” Trying to keep busy, she tossed dirty clothes into the laundry basket. “Once is never enough with us.”

“But if it helps.”

“It’s not about the climax.” 

She wished Clark could get her off and that would solve everything. “It be awesome if it would end cause you gave me multiple orgasms.” Noticing his smug expression, she said, “Of course you let that go to your head.”

Clark snickered. His expression changed to his more serious one as he said, “I don’t like how you’re in so much pain.” 

“I know.” Picking up the basket, she said, “You can just make me feel really good later.”  
Following him out of the room, she teased, “Think of all the fun you get to have explaining it to your dad.”

“Not funny.”

======

Clark figured the drive to Metropolis would be his best opportunity to explain Chloe’s heats to his father. He gripped the steering wheel tighter as he said, “Chloe wanted me to tell you about her heat.”

“Relax, son.”

Clark loosened his hold as he continued, “She doesn’t understand. The whole thing confuses me.”

“Makes you turn green too,” Jonathan teased, attempting to lighten the mood..

Clark chuckled. Chloe was getting closer to the stage where he wouldn’t be able to resist her. The only way he could think of to explain it was red-K. “It’s similar to when I was exposed to red-K.”

“You can’t control it,” Jonathan declared.

“I don’t want to either,” Clark admitted.

“Maybe you’re not supposed to.” 

Clark remained silent as he mulled over his dad’s words. Finally he realized he couldn't comprehend her heats because the process was instinctive, not logical. His own reaction was also instinctive. 

======

Clark emptied the contents of the bag Chloe had given him onto the counter at the dry cleaners. His eyes narrowed, Clark wondering where she had worn most of the skimpy outfits. The amount of skin several showed made him feel uncomfortable about her wearing them in public.

The teenager behind the counter checked in each item: three mini dresses, two bras, five miniskirts, three tops, two cardigan sweaters, and two denim half jackets for a total of seventeen items. He started to imagine Chloe wearing each one. 

Clark took the slip from the teenager. He stared at the total, unable to believe it cost that much. 

_‘Where did you wear these?’_ Clark asked her mentally. 

_‘The black lace tube top with the black sheer lace hem mini dress is a nightgown. The black silk bra goes with the mesh top and black mini skirt I wore here. I wore the purple plaid mini with black tank top when I went to the Talon.’_

He believed most of her outfits were technically considered clubbing clothes. Chloe would never have worn them in Smallville. His visualizations were making him horny. Afraid he'd come across as jealous and possessive, he said, _‘Never mind.’_

======

Chloe understand why Clark cut short the conversation about her clothing. His best friend would never have dreamed of wearing most of them. She'd significantly changed the way she dressed after she'd left Smallville so people would be less likely to recognize her. 

No one would have known it was her when she was pregnant. She’d started to show fairly quickly. Her small bump had been present before she’d fled Smallville. She suspected this time her chances of him not noticing right away were slim to none.

She had other reasons besides being recognized. Shifting was easier when there was less clothing. Her clothing was more convenient for her lifestyle. She didn’t generally go for runs, though. 

She suspected Clark didn’t particularly like the idea of other men checking her out, though it had never bothered her. There was only one man she’d ever wanted. Any others never had a chance in hell. 

======

Clark loaded the toys into the back of the pick-up truck. He couldn’t wait to see Kal’s reaction. “Maybe I went a little overboard.”

Jonathan snickered and Clark attempted to ignore him. Jonathan’d been just as bad with all the possibilities. 

“Your mom and Chloe are making bets right now on how much we bought.” 

Clark tried not to feel guilty for spending so much money by reasoning how everything would come in handy during the last two weeks of her heat. “There's a lot about Chloe that's different now.” 

“Does that change your feelings for her?”

Clark couldn’t imagine his life without Chloe. He answer, "No," without hesitation. "I like her hair longer and it’s more natural as golden blonde. She shows a lot more skin which can be really unnerving at times,” Clark admitted. “Chloe made me lose control of my heat vision.”

“I’m surprised her pheromones don’t affect you.” 

Clark gripped the wheel tighter; he decided it was in his best interest not to test his dad’s theory. He loved to listen to her talk.“Chloe is so quiet sometimes I push her into talking, which is what caused our first fight and her blow-up.”

Jonathan agreed Chloe was much quieter. “Be patient. It was inevitable that her past would surface. It’s the pack that bugs you?”

“They have the same mentality as my ship did. Rule with an iron fist because you are a god among men,” Clark spat. 

He’d always believed his abilities didn’t make him better than anyone else. His mistrust in the pack had grown after what happened to her family.“I don’t want either of them to return to Wolf Lake.” 

Chloe was bound by their laws and as much as Clark disliked the pack, he couldn’t deny his son the right to be with others Skinwalkers. Kal would always be different from other Skinwalkers, though, as would any other children he and Chloe had. 

Jonathan nodded his head in understanding. “As much as we don’t like it, that is Kal and Chloe’s home,” he said sadly.

“I know.” 

Clark paused, trying to think of how to broach the subject of him leaving with Chloe.He'd intended to talk with his parents together. “I’ve been trying to figure out how to tell you and mom I’m going back with them.”

“Your mom and I already figured that out.” 

“The timing of her heat seems beneficial to the pack. Chloe insists that her calculations are right. Her heat shouldn’t be happening for another six weeks.”

“Chloe was obviously in heat when Kal was conceived. Can you think of any differences or similarities?” 

Shrugging his shoulders, Clark replied, “Chloe says it’s different.” 

Jonathan hadn’t even suspected Chloe wasn’t human. She’d been the same girl he’d known since she was thirteen. He’d never spoken to her afterward nor had he been aware of anything that had happened in Metropolis. “I’m not much help.” 

“Talking to you helps me think out loud,” Clark said. It helped him get some of his frustrations out of his system. “I have this gut feeling that Sherman Blackstone has manipulated Chloe more than once,” he commented angrily. 

Jonathan had the same instinctive feelings. “Unless you're good at riddles, getting answers from him might not be so easy.” 

Clark agreed with his dad. He hoped Matt Donner could shed some light on the workings of the pack. Clark hadn’t told Chloe Donner was in Smallville. Donner’s reason for being here was connected to Gabe, and Clark believed the meeting with the Sheriff meant Gabe Sullivan was dead. 

The direction of his thoughts annoyed Clark. If those suspicions were true, how could anyone trust the pack? “Do you think the toxin wasn’t an accident?” 

“I think there was too much publicity surrounding the incident for it to be done the way the pack usually operates,” Jonathan stated. 

“Gabe wasn’t looking too good when we left,” Clark said. He sighed, knowing Chloe was going to have to deal with the death of another loved one. 

Jonathan frowned. He’d had the same issues with Gabe as Martha. Anytime he attempted to talk to him, Gabe got belligerent. “I haven’t seen him in a while.” He agreed with Clark: Gabe wouldn't be alive much longer, and the pack would do its best to keep Chloe from finding out.

Clark pulled onto the road to the farm. He figured Kal might have a little time to play before dinner was finished. Not wanting to talk about the pack, he asked, “Any idea what mom has planned for dinner?” 

Unable to resist, Jonathan teased, “Maybe liver and onions.”

Clark groaned. “Is it sad that I am hoping Chloe’s scent overpowers the smell of liver?” _‘Please tell me mom isn’t cooking liver and onions for dinner.’_ “How can you like that? It doesn’t even smell good.”

“Acquired taste. I think the best time for it would be when you and Chloe are otherwise occupied." 

Clark groaned. “Glad you're finding the humor,” he mumbled. “Chloe says mom is making pot roast.” 

His stomach growled at the prospect of beef, potatoes, carrots, celery, mushrooms and gravy. _‘Pie for dessert? I never got to finish mine last night.’_

“Getting the telepathic thing down?” he asked.

Clark tightened his hands on the wheel, regretting teasing her when Chloe responded by unblocking her sudden frustration. His own body responded in kind. 

_‘Strawberry shortcake. You know what I want for dessert.’_

He stepped slightly harder on the accelerator when Chloe continued, _‘I can think of some interesting things to do with strawberries and whipped cream.’_

“Never tease your mate when she is overly sensitive,” Clark mumbled as he pulled into the driveway. As soon as he opened the door, her scent surrounded him, and he groaned. Attempting to focus on something other than his desires, he moved to the back of the truck. 

“Let’s see what Kal thinks of these,” he said as he grabbed the large box containing the Little Tikes Handy Workers work bench.

Clark moved the Little Tikes Cozy Truck near the porch. The t-ball set and basketball set should be set up outside. Setting those two boxes on the porch, he went back over to the truck for the hopperball and kickball. After putting those with the others, he got the box with the five in one sports zone. 

Opening the front door, Jonathan walked into the house, and Clark followed. Setting the box down, Jonathan said, “You have the fun of assembling them.”


	17. Chapter 17

The instant Kal heard the door, he dropped his toys. He practically ran over to his dad and scooted to a stop as he saw the two big boxes. “My surprise?”

Kal glanced back at his mom. A huge grin spread over his face as he pointed to the boxes. “Mine?”

Chloe nodded. “Dad has to put them together.”

Kal inched closer to Clark as he opened the box. He watched curiously as Clark took several pieces out. Kal studied the pile and wondered why his dad was reading a piece of paper. He was starting to get impatient when Clark glanced at the pile and then back at the paper. His eyes narrowed as Clark moved some pieces further away. He couldn’t understand why his dad was having such difficulty. 

\-----

Clark expected Kal to start showing signs of impatience. He hadn’t expected it to be so difficult. _‘It’s just a toddler toy.’_ He grumbled to himself as he snapped the pieces into place for the bench. He hung tools on the side before he pushed sprockets into the front.

Clark was relieved Chloe wasn’t teasing him as he deposited nails in a small box above the tools. He believed wholeheartedly that all toys should come preassembled. He used the handle to move the bench into the living room, with Kal right on his heels.

Clark glanced around, trying to determine if where he was standing was the best spot. He didn’t want the toy to be in anyone’s way. His mom’s living room had never been this cluttered. Toys were by the couch, chair, and table.

 _‘You threw a party and your mom’s whole house was trashed.’_ His parents had caught him super speeding around the house cleaning up the mess. He’d finished to find his dad leaning against the banister and his mom standing at the bottom of the stairs. _‘Super speed came in handy but I still got busted.’_

\-----

Kal hoped it was time for him to play as Clark set the toy down. He listened intently as Clark showed him each tool. He reached into the basket for a nail and then placed it in the hole on the workbench.

Kal held the hammer in his hand and gently tapped the nail making it sink into the hole. Pointing to the other tools, he asked, “Wrench?”

Clark nodded as Kal took the wrench off the hook. Pointing to the sprocket, he said, “You use it with these.”

Kal placed the wrench on the center of the sprocket. He turned the wrench making it click as the sprocket moved. Setting the tool down, he picked up the screwdriver. He listened as Clark informed him that it was used to screw or unscrew the sprocket.

======

Clark watched Kal figure out all the different tools before he opened the other box. He read the instructions on how to assemble a toy where Kal could play baseball, basketball, golf, or hockey. _‘Damn. I forgot batteries for the scoreboard.’_

Clark went into the kitchen to see if there were any AAs. He’d super speed into town and buy some if there weren’t any.

 _‘It doesn’t have to work right now.’_ Chloe quirked.

_‘I want it to be all put together.’_

_‘Sure you don’t want to play with it?’_ Chloe teased.

Clark glanced around the room to determine its future home.

“Shouldn’t that be an outside toy?” Martha asked. She glanced around, wondering where the safest place for it would be.

Clark put the batteries in the scoreboard as he responded, “It’s nerf.”

_‘I doubt they were meant for toddlers with super strength.’_

“It lights up, plays music and keeps score.” Clark moved it over by the stairs where there was a large open space. “How much time til dinner?”

“About an hour,” Martha answered.

Clark contemplated taking Kal outside to see the truck. He glanced over at Kal and saw he was playing contentedly with the tools. He frowned as Chloe attempted to warn him that getting Kal out of the truck might not be all that easy.

Clark decided he’d rearrange his mom’s sewing room into a bedroom for Kal. “Mom, would you mind if I rearranged your sewing room?”

“Chloe and I did that earlier,” Martha answered.

=======

Martha enjoyed the time she’d spent with Chloe and Kal while Clark and Jonathan were out. She was shocked when Chloe mentioned she hadn’t really discussed her money situation with Clark. She'd told him about the inheritance but not the extent of it.

Martha encouraged Chloe to discuss it with him: Clark was like Jonathan in a lot of ways. He was prideful and worked hard for everything. 

She worried afterward she’d overstepped her bounds and tried to reassure Chloe her parents would want her to use the money how she saw fit. Martha smiled when Chloe informed her she fully believed that. 

Chloe told her she wanted to help Jonathan with the farm. Tears had filled her eyes as Chloe explained; Martha and Jonathan were the closest she’d had to a mom and dad. “The farm has always felt like home to me, which is why I want to invest in it.”

Martha listened intently as Chloe explain her idea. She liked Chloe’s plan. Jonathan might be persuaded by making it appear as a loan. He’d want records of where the repayments were going, though she suspected Chloe had no intention of keeping the money for herself.

Chloe disliked Kal not having his own bedroom, and Martha insisted Kal could use her sewing room. Chloe said she didn’t want Martha rearranging her home because of her and Kal. 

“Don’t be silly. I’m more than happy to donate a room I rarely use.” Martha almost told Chloe it could be a permanent bedroom if Kal could come spend weekends with Grandma and Grandpa. She was saddened by how the pack would prevent them from returning again.

Kal having his own room would be easier on everyone with Chloe’s current predicament with her heat. Secretly, she hoped it allowed for less use of super speed. She felt it was also better for Clark and Chloe to have their own space so they could enjoy private discussions.

Martha smiled knowingly as Clark attempted to keep busy. Chloe’d mentioned neither she nor Jonathan could smell Chloe's scent. Clark had heightened sense of smell, which probably made avoidance impossible. She was confused by the process but couldn’t deny she was thrilled by the prospect of more grandchildren.

======

Clark frowned as his plans for keeping busy were squashed. He quickly ducked outside to grab the diapers from the truck. He ran the bag up to the sewing room as his excuse to see. He decided the room looked more like a spare bedroom than his mom’s sewing room.

Clark assumed his mom had put most of her sewing materials in the closet. She’d converted her sewing chest into a toy bin at the foot of his bed. He didn’t know where the small dresser had come from. _‘Did they haul furniture from the barn?’_

Clark wasn’t pleased; he felt they should have had him do the heavy lifting. He gulped even he felt annoyance through his link with Chloe. “Doesn’t look half bad.” Clark wrapped his arms around her waist holding her tightly in his arms. “You and mom did a great job.”

“I was thinking since we have an hour…”

Clark thought she wanted a quickie before dinner. His eyebrow rose when his groan seemed to irritate her more.

“I figured we could talk about a few things I haven’t gotten around to yet.”

His curiosity rose and Clark wondered why he couldn’t sense her emotions again. “Let’s go to my loft,” he suggested. He slipped his hand into hers before he led her downstairs to check on Kal, and ask his parents to an eye on Kal until dinner.

=====

Chloe sat down next to Clark on his old red couch. She fidgeted with her hands as she silently tried to determine her best starting point. “I accused you of being a completely different person in Metropolis.”

“Maybe it’s the real me,” Clark quirked.

“I imagine that's how you feel now,” Chloe declared.

Their situations weren’t exactly the same. Clark had drugged himself and run away from home. He’d had loving parents who wanted their son to return home. She didn’t have the same excuses. Chloe’d been forced from her home. She’d avoided dealing with anything related to her life before Smallville.

\-----

Clark recalled he’d had every intention of kick her out when he was overcome with desire so strong, he couldn’t stop himself from fulfilling his wildest fantasies. His current thoughts had started to lead into the same direction. He halted his dirty mind as he waited for her to continue.

Clark wondered if Chloe had unintentionally overheard his conversation with his dad earlier. It hadn’t been his intention to give her impression the differences affected how he felt about her. He slipped his hand into hers and looked deep into her eyes. “Chloe, I realized that day that I meant it when I said, ‘Yours’. I wanted you long before that, too.”

His thumb brushed over her pulse near the bracelet and he tried to reassure her. He didn’t realize how distracting his touch could be. His pulse quickened along with Chloe's and she moved out of his reach.

`````

“Your touch makes talking the last thing I want to do.” Chloe saw understanding as she looked into his eyes.“I changed my hair, the way I dress. Not that I'll be able to dress like that for much longer; I started showing with Kal relatively quickly,” she babbled.

Unspoken questions passed over his eyes. _‘If you had managed to catch me you would have known.’_ “I know I’m much quieter than I used to be. I spent most of my time keeping to myself, not knowing who I could trust.”

Chloe knew Clark was forcing himself to remain quiet, that he wanted to tell her the physical changes didn’t matter to him.

_‘I couldn’t have stopped you from leaving?’_

Chloe nibbled on her bottom lip. She couldn’t honestly answer him. She didn’t want Clark to make his decision because of Kal or other almost inevitable children they would have together. Kal was bound to Wolf Lake which made it hard to do the separate parents routine.

 _‘If you are implying my decision is based on your heat. You are wrong.’_ “My decision is based on one thing, how I feel about you,” Clark growled. 

Chloe ignored him for the moment. She wanted to finish with her current line of thoughts. Her emotional state and her thoughts were jumbled as she worried about several things at once. “It’s hard to be all talkative and bubbly when I feel like a pawn for the packs again.”

Chloe paused as she looked curiously into his eyes. She couldn’t sense anything over the link and suspected Clark was waiting for her to finish her revelations.

“I need to tell you about what happened when you were infected.”

“I want it to be more hands-on discussion.” Chloe was momentarily distracted as her mind started to conjure up possible hands on discussions. _‘Carrying on this conversation is much harder than I thought it would be.’_ “I’m still learning about my family.”

Clark sensed her unspoken words of guilt she felt for surviving. He understood: she was trying to avoid physical contact with him, but he believed she needed the reassurance that came with his touch.

Chloe blinked in surprise when she found herself in his lap.

“They would want you to be happy.”

Chloe nodded as she said, “I know, and your mom said the same thing.” She got lost in his eyes as Clark refused to break eye contact.

“You are too emotional right now, and will be when you return again. I’ll be there with you.”

Chloe wondered briefly how she was blessed with such an understanding mate. She’d used her family as a way of working up to the big reveal. _‘Understanding and wise,’_ she thought to herself as she heard, “There is something else.”

Silence and tension became stronger as Chloe prayed Clark didn’t overreact. “What would you say if I told you that Lex hasn’t been the richest man in Smallville for a couple of years?” She'd used Sherman Blackstone to enforce an ancient pack law where half of her net worth was placed in her mate’s name.

Money had never been important to Chloe. It represented power among the pack. She refused to ever allow them to gain any of her money or her percentage of the brewery.

“Chloe, did you hit your head? Lex is the richest man in Smallville!” Clark exclaimed.

“No. The richest man is Clark Jerome Kent.” Chloe shifted her body slightly to reach into his front pocket. She held the credit card in front of him as she asked, “Did you even read the name?”

\-----

His super hearing finally caused Clark to hear things. Chloe couldn’t possibly have said his name. _‘How is that even possible?’_ His eyes narrowed slightly as he read his name on the card.

“As my mate, you are entitled to half of everything. I wanted to make certain the pack could never touch it. I found an old law in that book Sherman gave me,” Chloe babbled, suddenly feeling nervous.

“Half,” Clark repeated.

His head was spinning with the implication of how rich Chloe really was.

“The pack has a brewery where most of their business is conducted. I have twenty-five percent of the stock.”

Clark couldn’t help but wonder if the pack had issues with a female owning stock in their business. It was his opinion that the pack operated on a hierarchy where the male was the dominant party. He doubted they would like an outsider in their business, either.

“The stock should have passed to my brother,” Chloe whispered.

Her comment basically confirmed his suspicion. Clark ran his hand along her spine while holding her close to him. He tried to ignore his response to her knowing it was his own fault. “So you’re rich,” he said after silence fell over them. Clark placed his finger on her lips to get her to remain silent. “If there is anything else related to that let’s pick this up later,” he suggested.

Chloe didn’t have much more to tell him, other than her idea for helping with the farm. “Just an idea I talked with your mom about earlier about but didn’t tell her about a good chunk of it being in your name.”

Clark didn’t think anyone would suspect him of suddenly coming into a load of money. He wasn’t thrilled with the prospect, but understood why Chloe had done it. Chloe must have hacked into several systems to obtain the legal documentation needed. “Kal has my last name?”

“Not legally until you sign his birth certificate,” Chloe answered. She looked at him curiously wondering why Clark would be bothered by Kal having his last name. “I never told anyone here his last name, and I told the pack his last name was Kent.”

Clark assumed people would believe his son’s last name was Sullivan since the entire town knew her as Chloe Sullivan. He was more than willing to sign any documentation that allowed the world to know Kal was his son.

“Are you asking because my last name isn’t Sullivan?” Chloe asked.

“I overheard someone calling him Kal Kent,” Clark answered.

Instantly, Chloe became agitated. She hadn’t even told Gabe the last name she’d given Kal. “Do you know who?”

“Matt Donner,” Clark answered. He couldn’t help but wonder why Chloe looked so surprised.

Chloe stared at Clark, the shock obvious from the expression on her face. She’d never mentioned anyone else from Wolf Lake. “How do you know that name?” she demanded.

“Last night, I heard someone say my name and then say Kal Kent. He said his daughter was friends with Kal,” Clark started to explain.

He couldn’t help but be curious about the reasons why Chloe believed it couldn’t be Matt. “I’d say he was in his late forties, average build, black hair, and his daughter had brown hair, maybe about the same age as Kal.”

Chloe couldn’t imagine Matt breaking the laws even with his current standings within the pack. “It’s not that I don’t believe you. It’s just Matt isn’t one to break pack law even with his denouncing the pack.”

“What?” Clark asked. His confusion was quite clear. Matt had made it clear in the few words spoken that he was there on pack business.

“It would probably be easier if Matt explained,” Chloe declared. She hoped maybe Matt could clear some details of female skinwalker heats. He wouldn’t speak in riddles like Sherman, and getting a real answer out of him was much easier.

“Basically Matt does not consider himself pack any longer?” Clark asked. After Chloe nodded, he asked, “Why would he be here then?”

“His absence wouldn’t be noticed by the rest of the pack.”


	18. Chapter 18

Clark finished getting Kal ready for bed, then he went over to the stack of books. Some of the books - Charlotte’s Web, Alice in Wonderland, and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland - must have belonged to Chloe. The other titles - Goodnight Moon, Guess How Much I Love You, Little Bear, and Where the Wild Things Are - he knew Chloe had bought for Kal.

Clark named several of Kal’s favorite bedtime stories. He was unsure which one Chloe always read to Kal. 

“Dada that one.”

Clark saw a sailboat, trees, and a strange looking creature on the cover. “You want me to read Where the Wild Things Are?”

Clark laid Kal down and covered him with the sheets and blankets. Sitting down next to the bed, he opened the book and started to read, “The night Max wore his wolf suit and made mischief of one kind and another. His mother called him wild thing.”

======

Chloe helped Martha with the dishes from dinner. She heard Clark's deep voice as he read the same story she’d read so many times she no longer needed to look at the pages.

Chloe tried to focus on the task at hand as she kept pondering why Matt Donner would be in Smallville. His failure to contact her had pressed on her last nerve. She suspected Matt hadn’t made an appearance because Clark hadn’t been on the farm most of the day. Any other skinwalker wouldn’t have given that respect to her mate. Clark was an outsider.

Chloe smiled as Clark walked into the living room. “Now stop Max said and sent the wild things off to bed. Is generally where Kal falls asleep.”

“You were listening,” Clark teased.

“I was,” Chloe admitted.

Chloe had found listening to Clark soothing. _‘I was using your voice as a way to ground myself. I want to talk to Matt.’_

_‘You aren’t leaving the farm!’_

Chloe’s eyes glowed golden for an instant. She didn’t appreciate how his tone felt like Clark giving her an order. _‘I hadn’t planned on it!’_

“Did either of you want dessert before we start the movie?” Martha asked.

Chloe wondered if Martha had known she was about to get into a telepathic argument with Clark. She wasn’t really hungry. Martha had put the same amount on her plate as she had on Clark’s, and it had been too much. “I’m still stuffed.”

“Clark?” Martha asked.

“No thanks.” _‘How does she do that? Must be mother’s intuition.’_

Chloe snuggled into Clark as she tried to concentrate on the movie. It was almost impossible to focus with so many questions. She doubted Matt would drop in during the late evening hours. Sophia was probably sleeping. Their children were similar ages.

=====

Clark wasn’t paying attention to the movie. He was distracted by Chloe being pressed up against him. The heat of her skin radiated through the thin fabric of his tee in a teasing caress. Glancing down at her, he wondered how she was faring with the early stage of her heat. He assumed it was better than last night. Otherwise he would be engaged in some form of sexual activity. The night was still young, though.

Clark listened for the click of his parents’ bedroom door. His attention and focus turned to the sleeping beauty in his arms. Shutting off the TV, he listened to her heartbeat wanting to determine if Chloe was indeed sleeping. Cradling her in his arms, he stood and carried her up to his bedroom.

Clark paused to check on Kal before heading into his bedroom. Kicking the door shut, he focused his heat vision on the candle - the mild glow from the flickering flame illuminated the room. He couldn’t help but smirk as Chloe mumbled in protest.

Clark slowly slipped the two pieces of clothing off her body before removing his boots and clothing. Climbing into bed, he pulled the covers up as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

=======

Matt Donner sat in his hotel room looking over the notes he’d taken for the cover up of Chloe’s connection to Gabe Sullivan. He’d agreed to come to Smallville to ensure that there were no more killings.

Matt sympathized with Chloe, knowing from experience it was impossible to deny your heart. His mate would have been so much safer if he could have shut off his feelings. He was sure the pack was responsible for her death. His gut instincts weren’t enough proof to allow him to do anything directly against the pack, though. 

Breathing in deeply, Matt slowly exhaled. He needed to focus on the task at hand. Closing the Sullivan file, he opened another file. Reading his scribbled coded notes, he contemplated how Chloe was going to take the news of his discoveries.

======

_Matt Donner heard the packs’ whispers about the return of Chloe Duvall. Glancing at the booth Chloe sat in, he knew without a doubt that was his best friend Kyron’s baby sister. Sitting down across from her, he said, “If I hadn’t heard you were Chloe I might have believed you were Ceri.”_

_“I’m not showing you my birthmark to prove I’m not Ceri,” Chloe replied. The heart shaped birthmark on her butt cheek was the only way to distinguish between the twins._

_Matt half expected her to snap another retort about being under arrest since he was the Sheriff. “I see you haven’t lost that snappy tongue.” Her body language made it clear Chloe had no desire to speak with him. She probably detested members of the pack._

_“Look Sheriff, I have no desire to make idle chitchat with you. I came back for one reason only: to protect my mate and his family,” Chloe explained. She slid out of the booth and revealed the bump that had been hidden by the table._

_His eyes trained on her abdomen. “You’re too young,” Matt whispered. He couldn't conceal his shock at discovering an eighteen year old pack member pregnant._

_Chloe placed her hands on her hips and glared at him. “Keep your opinions to yourself,” she snapped._

_Slipping out of the booth, Matt said, “You can trust me.” He could see the skepticism in her hazel eyes. “You could say I’m an outcast like yourself. You can ask Sherman what I mean,” he stated. Without another word, he left the diner to go speak with Sherman._

_=======_

_Matt banged on Sherman Blackstone’s front door a few moments later. He barged inside after Sherman opened the door. “What's the color of her pelt?”_

_Sherman snickered before he replied, “Hello to you too.” Walking further into the house, he filled two mugs with steamy brew. “Coffee?”_

_Grabbing the cup, Matt pulled back a chair and sat down. His eyes narrowed and trained on Sherman, wanting actual answers not riddles. He suspected the color of her pelt was pure silver - often mistaken for a white wolf._

_“You already know the answer,” Sherman responded._

_“There hasn’t been a pure silver wolf in over five hundred years. She was the mother of all Skinwalkers, destined to return only for the bloodline of the traveler,” Matt stated._

_Sherman sported a huge grin as he said, “The rarest of pelts whose first heat cycle will be triggered by outside forces where impulses drive her other.”_

_Matt glared at Sherman suspecting Sherman watched Chloe regularly. It had been rumored that the silver was the only female whose heat could start before her twenty-fifth birthday. Her reproductive cycle varied in other areas too. If separated from her mate she would skip her heat entirely but once she sensed her mate in any way her wolf started the process, deeming the ideal conditions met._

_It was hard to prove any of the theories about silver wolves, since it had been over five hundred years since silver existed. Her pelt outranked all other colors, male or female. She was the female alpha destined to only mate with a powerful bloodline of the traveler whose ancestors had brought the Skinwalkers into existence._

_Sherman told him, “A nasty little bugger from the caves of her ancestors and a little red rock. I had to interrupt an operation, do an incantation to make her shift so her other killed the parasite, doctor her charts, even lead her into the recovery room.”_

_His temper flared at the delight playing in the keeper’s brown eyes as he said, “I could smell that her mate wasn’t human, leaving only one logical conclusion: Clark Kent is the blood kin of the original bloodline.”_

_Matt was sure there was more Sherman wasn’t saying. After all, Sherman never gave a straight answer when he could avoid it. Matt growled when Sherman told him Chloe believed the old wives tale. “Chloe and her mate are connected to a prophecy you have been waiting hundreds of years to unfold,” he snarled. Putting his empty cup down, he pushed back his chair and stood._

_=====_

_Matt looked up from his paperwork to see Sherman Blackstone. His eyes narrowed as he wondered why the keeper was seeking him out._

_“I need to speak with you in private,” Sherman stated._

_Matt shook his head in annoyance. His deputy was there, but she could be trusted. His hackles rose as Sherman remained silent. “I’m taking an early lunch.”_

_Matt followed Sherman out of the Sheriff’s office. “So what is the reason for your visit?”_

_“You’ve heard by now Chloe has returned to Smallville?”_

_“Willard broke the laws so your prophecy could unfold,” Matt snapped._

_“I need a favor.”_

_“Why do I even bother?”_

_“I need you to brush up on your law books.”_

_“Why?”_

_“Gabe has called me several times since I persuaded Willard to accept her union with the traveler.”_

_“I heard the elders put her on trial,” Matt challenged._

_“The elders had a sudden change of heart,” Sherman stated gleefully._

_Matt had a sinking feeling of what Sherman wanted. He was being asked to protect the pack and eliminate any threats in Smallville, Kansas. “You want me to break both pack and human laws.”_

_“No, I am asking you to uphold the law,” Sherman growled._

_“You bend laws,” Matt accused._

_“I do what is in the best interest of the pack. But speaking of that law, have you have found it in any book?”_

_“It was destroyed years ago,” Matt insisted._

_“Was it?”_

_Matt had enough of Sherman for one day. His head was starting to protest. “Guess it’s a good time as any to break pack law.”_

_“Sophia and you will leave tonight. You know it is a mercy killing,” Sherman insisted._

_“It’s still breaking the law,” Matt grumbled._

_“One of these days, you'll regret your insistence on keeping laws,” Sherman snarked._

_Matt stared after Sherman as he practically skipped and whistled away. He went back to the office to get things in order. Sitting at his desk, his mind flashed back to a conversation four years past._

_“Promise me you'll protect my sister from them,” Kyron pleaded._

_“Why will I need to? You’re her big brother,” Matt questioned._

_“One born of the stars will mate with the wolf of the stars and earth. Their union will bring ancient laws to light.”_

_“You’ve been reading that old book again!” Matt growled._

_“Chlo will find it. She'll figure out her justice comes from ancient laws.”_

_Matt shook his head to clear the long buried conversation. Grabbing his keys off the desk, he angrily stomped out of his office. “Molly, I’m going on vacation. You are in charge until I return!”_

_Matt found himself standing at Kyron Duvall’s grave in the old cemetery. “You knew I’d have to break my promise to Marie to keep mine to you.”_

_“Did you expect an answer?”_

_Matt blinked in surprise as he turned around to discover one of the female elders. Despite his denouncing the pack, he bowed his head slightly in respect._

_“Don’t you dare bow to me,” she snapped._

_Matt straightened his shoulders as he watched the old female cautiously._

_“Kyron came to me before his family was murdered. He made a request. Would you like to know what he asked?”_

_Matt slowly nodded his head yes. He was afraid of what he was about to hear, though._

_“I was asked to give my blessing to the union of the true alpha and the mate he’d chosen. It was destined to happen.”_

_“Destiny!” Matt growled._

_“You can’t fight destiny or fate,” the elder challenged before she ghosted away._

_Matt growled as he jumped back into his truck. He walked into his house and snarled, “What now!”_

_“I was told to deliver a message,” Sherman snickered._

_“I don’t want it,” Matt snapped._

_“Too bad. The elders have decided they will no longer tolerate your refusal to be part of the pack. If they must enforce the law on one, they must enforce it upon all.”_


	19. Chapter 19

Clark grunted in his sleep. His body was aware of hers pressed seductively into his own. His blood flowed to his nether regions, as one of his hands cupped and massaged her breast. His other slowly inched downward as it caressed her skin.

Finding his target, he slowly ran his fingers along her outer folds. He smiled in his sleep as Chloe moaned in frustration. His fingers slipped inside and Chloe shifted her body to grant him better access. His thumb and forefinger teased her hardened nub as he thrust his fingers in and out of her.

Her scent surrounded Clark, and he salivated from his deep desires to tease and taste her with his tongue. He could practically taste her with each breath - her scent became stronger, beckoning him to her.

\----

Her hips rocked as Chloe ground into his hand. Her eyes slowly fluttered open as she regained consciousness. Her back arched as his fingers worked their magic, and her walls clamped around him. The ache inside of her peaked as she craved more than his fingers. Her climax was a tease to her senses in comparison to what she really hungered for.

Chloe listened to his heart and determined Clark was dreaming. Smiling to herself, she wondered what else Clark had dreamed about doing to her. Smiling mischievously, she decided to act out one of her own fantasies. Lifting her body, she bit into her lip as his fingers slid from inside of her.

His hold loosened slightly as Clark moaned her name.

Chloe tossed the covers off their bodies. She wanted to see him. She licked her lips as she admired the body of her mate. ‘Definitely godlike.’ Her hands moved along the toned muscles of his chest as she positioned herself to kneel between his legs.

She felt his muscles twitch under her fingertips. His hardened length jumped and she admired his length and thickness. Pre-cum glistened at the head of his shaft, making her aware he was just as frustrated as she was. Leaning closer to him, her breath teased his heated flesh before her tongue snaked out to caress his nipple.

His hardened length jerked as her hand wrapped around him. A low grunt of frustration echoed off the walls, and her hand started to pump up and down. She increased the pressure of her grip slightly as she ran her tongue across his skin to tease his other nipple.

Chloe continued to alternate between kisses and licks as she slowly moved down his body. Her tongue flicked over the creamy essence of his manhood allowing her to taste him. Hearing his intake of breath, she smiled before closing her mouth over the tip.  
Her tongue pressed into the vein as Chloe slowly descended to take almost all of him into her mouth. Her hand pumped downward as her mouth thrust upward. She alternated her ministrations between her hand and mouth while she slipped her other hand lower to massage his balls. She increased the pace and his breathing signaled Clark was starting to wake.

\-----

Clark growled as his eyes slowly opened. His hands slipped into her blonde locks when he realized his dream had come to life. He thrust his hips, silently begging her for more. “Chlo…”

His breath came in pants as Chloe deep throated him. Her scent washed over him making Clark aware her actions had affected her too. His back arched off the bed as his length pulsed and his climax flowed through him.

Clark inhaled deeply as he tried to calm himself. His eyes smoldered and he determined Chloe was at the stage where it would take every ounce of his will power to keep from taking her.

\------

Chloe hungrily drank down his salty, tangy life essence. Slowly letting him slip from her mouth, she forced him to remove his hands from her hair as she looked up at him. ‘Did I interrupt your dream?’

Chloe suspected Clark didn’t trust his voice as he responded over their link, ‘I’ll show you the next part.’

Chloe gasped in surprise when he found her heat with his mouth. Her body trembled as his tongue ran along her outer lips. It wouldn’t take Clark long to bring her to climax. Her hips rocked uncontrollably as his tongue thrust deep within her.

Chloe couldn’t stop her whimper, knowing Clark wanted to continue his current activity. She ignored her internal struggle for more than his tongue. Her climaxes were only adding to her current desperation. She bit into her bottom lip to keep from screaming aloud.

\----

Clark greedily swallowed the sweet and spicy libations that poured onto his tongue and flowed into his waiting mouth. He continued to alternate between licks and thrusts knowing Chloe was close to her climax again. ‘You taste better than I imagined.’

Clark sensed her discomfort through their link, making him aware Chloe was purposely fighting her own needs to allow him to do what he desired first. Slowly, he slipped his tongue out and lifted her to gently lay her back against the mattress. He licked his lips, enjoying her taste as he covered her body with his own.

Clark was mesmerized by the golden glow of her eyes as he brushed his length teasingly along her aching center. He sensed her desperation through their link as her legs wrapped tightly around his waist.

“Please,” Chloe begged as she arched into him.

Clark complied with her request as he drove deep inside of her with a grunt of pleasure echoing her moan of bliss.

No matter how many times they were together, his appetite for her would never be satisfied. Chloe made him feel whole when their bodies were joined as one. Knowing she needed his thrust to be fast, strong, and deep he set the rhythm, pushing her closer to the edge with each drive.

Chloe kissed Clark to keep from screaming. Her walls clamped around him, milking him for all he was worth. She broke the kiss for air and then bit his shoulder as he brushed against her g-spot. His flesh muffled her howl as she relished in the sensations of his hotness flowing into her.

Clark groaned as her canines sank into his shoulder. He bit into his lip to keep from screaming her name as the pain mixed with pleasure and pushed him over the edge. Slipping from inside of her, he rolled their bodies so Chloe was kneeling on the mattress.

“Clark…”

Clark was drowning in her pheromones. He moved his hand to her hip as he positioned himself. ‘I can’t nor do I want to stop. I’ll make it your choice, either now or after I enter you.’ He was doused with more of her pheromones as he waited for her to answer.

‘You can deny it all you want. But you know I’m right. It’s what you want.’

\-----

Chloe had seen drawings of skinwalker males taking their mates in wolf form. It was considered completely natural for her kind. Her other rejoiced at his demand. She nibbled on her bottom lip as she wondered which would be less painful.

Chloe deemed both would be painful. She hoped the pleasure she would already be receiving would overcast the pain. Either way, she was conceiving one pup, possibly two.

Chloe felt his hands running gently along her spine as Clark waited for her answer. She sensed his patience was slipping away. ‘After. Do it now.’

Chloe growled in pleasure as Clark thrust hard, fast, and deep into her. She could feel his full strength and realized his request was due to his worries of hurting her. ‘You sure?’

‘Yes. Do you realize what your scent is doing to me? This is instinctive. I want my mate the way she was meant to be claimed.’

Clark moved his hand to her hip as he growled, ‘Stop fighting it.’

‘We should do this in the woods!’

Chloe snarled as she couldn’t fight the change any longer. Her breath came in pants as she found there was no pain, only pure unadulterated pleasure. Clark filled her so completely there was no doubt in her mind, he was her true mate.

Her climaxes flowed throughout her and Chloe spontaneously ovulated. Her internal muscles tightened and milked his thickness as Clark thrust deeper. Her low growl of satisfaction mixed with his grunts as their bodies were stuck together.

His hot seed gushed into her waiting channel as Clark growled, ‘Mine.’

‘Yours.’

Chloe trembled as her body rippled in waves of pleasure. Her skin glistened with sweat as she reverted back to human form. She felt exhausted, parched, and tingly all over. ‘I need…’

Chloe sighed in contentment as Clark rolled their still joined bodies so they were resting on their sides. Her walls continued to milk him as they basked in the aftermath of their joining. She bit into her bottom lip as Clark grunted as he climaxed again.

‘I think this should help take the edge off.’

Chloe wondered if Clark was referring to the achiness she felt during her pre-estrus. ‘I don’t know. I do know if I end up with six pups my mate is going to be one sorry Kryptonian.’

Chloe was puzzled by his sudden silence, as she’d expected him to have a response. She was unaware Clark was mulling over figures in his head.

Chloe needed to know what had happened between them when they were sixteen. The implication was the number of years was significant, since it was two years later when Kal was conceived, and now another two years had passed.

“You remember when we were sixteen and you were infected by a parasite?” Clark asked.

“I was never operated on,” Chloe whispered.

Clark stared at her. He’d been in her hospital room when an old Indian wheeled her into the room he was waiting in. His vision switched into x-ray mode wanting to make certain it was gone. He’d seen it that day after the red-K was removed when she took off his shirt.

“Sherman did some incantation that forced me to shift, effectively killing the parasite. He removed the parasite and placed it in the jar, doctored all the hospital records, even wheeled me into my hospital room,” Chloe babbled.

Her eyes glowed as she recalled the sheer glee that Sherman displayed that day. “Nasty little buggers and red rocks.” Her heart rate increased as Chloe surmised that a few of her dreams were actually memories. Sensations from her dreams bombarded her, making her squirm.

\----

Clark had never told her about Pete slipping the red-K into his shirt. “Chloe?”

“It was what Sherman said. He seemed too happy about it,” Chloe declared. She knew about Metropolis and red-k but she sensed there was another time too. “Are there a few things you should tell me?”

A lump formed in his throat and his mouth became dry. Nervousness graced his handsome face as Clark answered, “My dream was about what I have wanted to do to you since we were sixteen.” He paused before continuing, “We made out in the back seat of Pete’s car, almost had sex in the Talon.”

Clark slowly moved his hand in a gentle caress over her hip. “Do you remember?”

“I was in your lap grinding into you. I could feel how much you wanted me.


	20. Chapter 20

Clark slowly slipped from underneath the covers as he prayed Chloe would sleep through morning. He would be spending most of his day outdoors if she didn’t.

Clark didn’t regret his actions. He couldn’t help but be fearful his actions would hurt her. His control over his strength was something he’d relied upon. A good dose of her pheromones obliterated his control.

Clark was relieved to see no charred marks in any parts of his bedroom. He forgot completely about his current state of undress as he quietly slipped into the hallway.

Clark ducked into the bathroom as Martha caught a glimpse of her son’s naked behind. He groaned as someone knocked on the bathroom door. His cheeks were a rosy shade of red as he heard his mom.“I’m starting coffee. You better be taking a quick shower. My grandson reminds me of his dad when he tries to be sneaky.”

Clark gulped; her comment was about more than his lack of clothing. _‘Did she hear us last night?’_ Stepping into the tub, he turned on the water and stepped underneath the spray of hot water.

Clark ran his fingers through his damp locks as he walked down the hallway to his son. Standing in the doorway, he discovered his son wasn’t sleeping or wearing a stitch of clothing. “You definitely get that from your mom.”

\-----

Kal was irritated by the wetness against his skin as he pulled on the tape. Accomplishing his desired task, he smirked before walking across the room.

A stark naked Kal hunted through his toys. He wasn’t bothered in the least by his lack of clothing. Hearing his dad mumble, he turned to look at his dad. “Dada.”An instant later, his attention turned back to the toy box.

Kal continued to dig through the toys. He tossed aside the chatter phone, bunches of blocks, trucks, cars, tugboat, hammer for the melody bench, bug jug, school bus, and several more toys. He practically emptied the entire toy box in search of his tractor. Unable to find it, he frowned and looked around the room.

====

“Do you want to get dressed?” Clark asked

“No!”

Clark wondered what the correct way was to tell his son that he couldn’t run around naked all day. Chloe would be annoyed if he inadvertently made his son feel there was a problem with nudity. Skinwalkers weren't affected by their nudity.

``````````

Martha peaked in on her grandson. She smiled brightly at the sight before her. Kal reminded her of Clark this morning. The smile that graced Kal’s small face was the spitting image of young Clark. “There was a time when getting you to wear clothes wasn’t so easy,” she teased.

Martha understood why Kal was running around bare-bottomed. Her grandson was telling everyone he was ready. “It's potty training time.”

Martha hadn’t had the pleasure of potty training Clark. She often wondered how Clark'd adapted so well. _‘Clark has always been exceptional,’_ she thought with great pride. She’d heard boys were harder to potty train than girls. “I’ll watch Kal while you run into Metropolis to buy underwear, pull ups, and a kid’s potty.”

Clark was having issues with spending Chloe’s money but he needed to remember supporting a child wasn’t just dealing with love and nurture, unfortunately there were expenses as well. She was unaware Clark’s current issue wasn’t spending money.

======

Clark's face turned crimson as he turned to look at his mom. Kal wasn’t potty trained which meant he didn't have underwear. He was too short to reach the toilet. "Kal can't run around naked."

"Me can."

Clark could get more money from Chloe to go buy the items Kal needed to start potty training. It was probably the best solution. He wasn’t too keen on waking her, though.“Mom, I’ll have to fly and be right back. Chloe is in estrus.”

“You can use my credit card then,” Martha suggested.

“Mom!” Clark whined.

“Do you want to wake Chloe?” Martha asked.

“No, I won’t get anything done,” Clark admitted.

Clark ran his hands through his hair in frustration. “I’ll go after I get Kal dressed.” Looking at Kal, he said, “You have to wear a diaper till Dad gets back.” He picked Kal up before he could protest.

```

Kal pushed against Clark’s chest wanting to be put down. “Down,” he demanded.

His eyes squinted in obvious frustration as he was unable to budge. His attention was caught when he heard, “After you get dressed and have breakfast maybe Grandma will watch you outside so you can play in your new truck.”

Kal thought he had already seen all of his surprise. He wondered if there were other toys besides the truck.

````

Clark felt the strength from the contact of Kal’s small hands. His son was definitely going to be a force to be reckoned with. He needed to be certain he was the one to teach his son. Bribery was probably the worst way to get Kal dressed but was the only option he could see.

“Do you want to dress yourself?”

Clark assumed Kal wanted to know about the truck as he received no answer. He quickly dressed Kal in a pair of jeans and red t-shirt. Putting the work boots on him, he was relieved the work boots fit. _‘I still can’t believe how expensive these were.’_

“Are you forgetting something?” Martha asked.

Clark looked over Kal wondering what she meant.

Martha took Kal from Clark as she snapped, “Your clothes!”

Clark blushed crimson as he glanced down at the towel wrapped loosely around his waist. He’d been heading to his room to get dressed when Kal distracted him.

Clark slowly opened his bedroom door and stepped into the room. Closing the door behind him, he tried not to breathe in her scent knowing all his focus would be on Chloe. His pulse raced as Chloe turned to look at him. He could feel her hazel eyes roaming hungrily over his body.

His eyes following the movement of her tongue as Chloe licked her lips. _‘Focus.’_ “I just came in to get dressed. Kal doesn’t want to wear his diaper. Think our son wants to be potty-trained.

_‘I think you have an issue to deal with before you can get dressed.’_

Clark unwrapped the towel from his waist as Chloe stretched seductively. He moved closer to the bed as his feet seemed to have a mind of their own. Her eyes told him she was aware he’d hoped she’d sleep longer.

“I won’t bite,” she teased.

His eyebrow cocked almost challengingly, Chloe had bitten him several times. How her bite left permanent marks still amazed him. He believed Chloe preferred to leave her marks on him. Her own way of claiming him again.

Clark tried to ignore the ache in his loins as he sat on the edge of the bed. He’d known coming into his room was dangerous. His hardness jumped as Chloe straddled his waist. He bit his lip to keep from grunting aloud as her heat brushed against his hardened length.

_‘Please. I need you.’_

All of Clark’s willpower flew out the window. He clutched her ass as he slid home. His tongue brushed against her rapidly beating pulse in a soothing manner as he drove into her. Instinctively, he knew the intensity of their joining was too much for her after their actions last night.

_‘You’re shifting after this!’_ Clark ordered.

_‘Unless you make me shift now.’_

Clark could see her words were truthful. Her eyes were deeply golden so intense it reminded him of the sun. Her skin was covered in a thin film of sweat as her walls gripped him so tightly he imagined she’d rip him apart if he were a mortal man. He bulldozed upwards as his seed gushed from inside of him.

Clark felt a partial backlash from her ovulation last night; He was consumed by it now. Every one of his senses honed in on it as he zealously rejoiced. He eased out of her as her skin bristled with fur.

````

Chloe trembled as Clark lifted her to the mattress. Her breath came in pants as she transformed completely. She snarled and bared her teeth as his hands gently roamed through her fur. Her pheromones were filling the room begging him to join with her again.

Chloe snapped at Clark as he shifted his position. She was unaware his eyes were royal blue as Clark watched mesmerized. Confusion filled her as Clark declared he’d felt what she felt as she ovulated. She hadn’t been aware their link worked in those ways.

_‘I wanted to see too.’_

_‘Oh…’_

Chloe growled at Clark as she suspected he’d already made her pregnant with two pups. She shifted back to human form as he moved away from the bed. “I’m still going to kick your cute ass if I have a full liter.”

Chloe lost sight of him for an instant. She pouted when Clark appeared clothed in a pair of loose fitting jeans and a red t-shirt.

````

Clark would kick his own ass if Chloe ended up with six pups. His mind was having a hard time grasping the knowledge she might be carrying two. He’d witnessed conception but hadn’t looked deeper.

“It’s not my fault I can’t keep my hands off you,” he teased.

Clark knew technically it was a bit more complicated. He had tons of questions about her heats but assumed Chloe wouldn’t know the answers.

Clark grabbed the credit card out of his jeans from yesterday. He doubted any issues would arise with that card since she’d told him it was in his name. “I’ll use this card as a credit card.”

“You should pick a camera up too,” Chloe suggested.

“Anything else,” Clark asked.

“Salted Caramel Mocha with whipped cream,” Chloe answered.

Clark bit his lip to stop from informing Chloe he wasn’t going to allow her to drink anything with caffeine in it. He gulped as her eyes suddenly changed to bright gold again. “I’ll get you the latte but only because we wouldn’t know if I hadn’t used my x-ray vision.”

Clark ducked out of his bedroom but caught the deep growl as he ascended the stairs. _‘Using thoughts I hadn’t meant to convey against me isn’t fair.’_

\----

“It was how you said it!” Chloe snapped.

Climbing out of bed, Chloe wondered if Martha was going to try to make her eat a big breakfast again. She hadn’t eaten this much since being pregnant with Kal.

Chloe went over to the closet and looked through his shirts. She wanted the one Clark had ripped the buttons off. Deciding on the red checkered flannel, she took it off the hanger. Opening her suitcase, she took out a pair of faded light blue jeans, red lace bra and matching panties. Grabbing Clark’s t-shirt from last night, she slipped it on before grabbing the pile of clothes and opening the door.

=====

Kal waited impatiently for Martha to refill her mug with steamy brew. He pointed to the door as he whined, “Grandma!”

Opening the door, she held it open for Kal and then followed him outside.

Kal stopped in his tracks. His eyes becoming twice their size as he looked upon a black pick-up truck at the bottom of the porch steps. He noticed the door was left open for him to climb into the truck.

Slowly climbing down the steps, Kal saw the steering wheel was white with a red horn. He could even put toys in the pick-up part.

\----

Martha followed Kal down the steps just in case her help might be needed. She suspected once Kal got into his truck it might be hard to get him out again.

Looking up at Martha, Kal said, “Dada got me.”

“I see,” Martha stated.

She didn’t have to wait long for Kal to climb into it. Noticing him looking at the door, she said, “It closes. Do you need my help?”

“Me do it.”

Sitting down on the swing, Martha jumped slightly as the loud horn startled her. She hadn’t expected it to be that loud. Sipping her coffee, she watched Kal drive around the driveway.

 

=====

Chloe took a sip before heading to the door. She saw Kal zooming around the driveway in his black pick-up truck.

_‘It’s bigger than I expected.’_

Chloe smiled as she sat down next to Martha and said, “Morning.”

“Good morning. I’ll go start breakfast.”

“I’m good with the coffee,” Chloe attempted.

Instantly, she noticed Martha dawned her motherly expression of disapproval. _‘Why can’t I just have coffee?’_ “I don’t want you to go to any trouble,” she explained. Hearing Clark over their link informing her coffee wasn’t food irritated her. _‘Something small then not a portion fit for you.’_

Chloe wasn’t a big breakfast eater. Sipping her coffee, she watched Kal enjoy his truck and smile when Kal suddenly stopped and waved. His excitement was obvious as he babbled about his new truck and how his dad had gotten for him. She laughed when Kal waved again before honking the horn and taking off as if he were really driving.

====

Clark landed near the steps with two boxes, a large bag, and latte in his hands. His eyes narrowed in mock anger at Chloe as he sensed she was contemplating teasing him by claiming he’d bought out the store.

Clark wondered where his mom was going to put the second training chair. She’d handed him a list when he’d came into the kitchen. He’d glanced quickly at the list to keep from telling her he’d remember.“Mom wanted one for downstairs.”

Clark handed Chloe the latte before he ran the boxes and bags inside. He noticed Chloe was wearing his red flannel shirt and a faded pair of blue jeans. It surprised him that she wasn’t teasing him by wearing a skirt. He didn’t fail to notice how good his red flannel shirt looked on her.

“See something you like farm boy?” Chloe teased.

Chloe attempted to focus on the latte when her nipples hardened from his stare and reminded her why she hated bras as the lace confined. She looked over at Clark as his eyes suddenly turn royal blue _.‘That’s not fair.’_

Clark hadn’t intended to x-ray her. He just couldn’t resist. His tongue ran teasingly around his bottom lip knowing the effect of his admirations. He suspected it was a bad idea to tease an overly hormonal Chloe. Sitting down on the swing next to her, he leaned in closer to her and whispered, “It’s completely fair.”

Her scent followed him everywhere and was getting stronger each day. Relief washed over Clark when Martha said that breakfast was ready. _‘How do I get Kal out of the truck?’_

_‘I’ll stay out here.’_

Clark suspected Chloe believed her staying out there would allow her to conveniently skip breakfast.

Chloe frowned as Clark came back with two plates and smirked triumphantly. She growled when he handed one to her.

“Nice try.”

Chloe looked down at a large portion of scrambled eggs, hash browns and bacon. “I can’t eat all this.”

Kal parked his truck and opened the door. He slowly climbed the steps as he heard, “Do you want a plate?”

“Kal. Mom has too much. You can have some of mine.”

Clark ate his food trying his best to keep his opinion to himself. He saw both his mom and Chloe’s point of view. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Chloe was more interested in the bacon than anything else. He heard the fork cling on the plate as Kal announced he was done.

Kal started to head for the stairs again. His eyes narrowed as his mom said, “Wait a minute. You need to get cleaned up.”

“Did you want to wear underwear and use the potty?”

She smiled sweetly at Clark as Kal answered, yes. “I’ll get your wipes to clean you up and then Dad will help you with the potty.”


	21. Chapter 21

The mid-afternoon sun was high in the sky when Clark heard a vehicle approach their driveway. He wasn’t expecting anyone and his parents hadn’t mentioned company.

Clark glanced at Chloe as he wondered if she sensed anything. Her expression didn’t validate his suspicion she’d sensed another of her kind. He hoped there were no others lurking in town.

Clark believed their impending visitors were why Chloe’d worn jeans. He was trying desperately not to breathe in her scent. Her pheromones were driving him crazy.

======

Matt sighed. He hated his first duty as the bearer of more bad news. Opening the door, he swung his long legs out of the car and stood. He quietly closed the door and hoped Sophia would nap for a while.

His heightened senses informed Matt of the silver wolf’s emotions and scent. He tightened his chains on his own wolf as he approached the porch.

Matt desired to be respectful and courteous to the Kents. It had put his dealings with Chloe too close to her estrus for his comfort, though.  
He heard the older couple approach before a redheaded woman and a blond, shaggy-haired man came outside.

Matt assumed they were Chloe’s mate’s parents. “Mr. and Mrs. Kent, I’m sorry to intrude.” Offering his hand to the male, he said, “I’m Matt Donner. I agreed to come to ensure your family will be safe.”

Matt sensed hesitation as Mr. Kent took his hand. Releasing it, he stated the obvious.“You have no reason to trust me.” He paused before he continued, “I believe laws should be upheld no matter whom the maker of said laws was.”

Matt had originally intended to speak with the Kents today and return another day for his conversation with Chloe and Clark. “It was my plan to plead my case by explaining why I can be trusted. Unfortunately, Chloe is further into her heat than I expected.”

Matt glanced at Clark; he was intrigued by how he remained so calm. He knew several older skinwalker males who couldn’t maintain their control.

“Why don’t we speak over coffee,” Martha suggested.

Matt smiled and answered, “Coffee would be grand, but I prefer to remain outside for two reasons. My daughter is napping in the car and Chloe’s scent is milder in the fresh air.”

 

=====

Clark liked Matt right away. He appreciated his initiative of making the time to speak with his parents first, and he appeared to be the type of person who wouldn’t attempt to pull the wool over someone’s eyes.

Clark suspected Chloe intended to use every law the pack held dear to her advantage and even Matt wouldn’t be safe from her wrath. His beliefs in the law would bite him in the ass one day.

Clark didn’t believe Chloe’s scent was milder anywhere. He mumbled quietly, “Milder my ass.”

Chloe’s eyes flashed golden for an instant when Matt mentioned her heat.

Clark was finding it increasingly difficult to think about anything other than Chloe. His many questions could possibly be answered, though he expected some things would remain unresolved.

=====

Matt relayed his news matter-of-factly. The pack was in an uproar over Sherman’s actions concerning Chloe. He’d made a big mess which they demanded be cleaned. Anyone caught in the crossfire wasn’t of concern.

Lex Luthor had been paid to release the toxin. The events ensured two things - Gabe Sullivan took his knowledge of their existence to the grave, and it gave them an excuse to break one of their laws. “The toxin was no accident. Human lives lost in the process were of no consequence.”

Martha gasped as Jonathan declared, “It was all over the news and press. Seems a bit too public for your kind.”

Matt agreed it had been too public. “It had the end results that were required. Gabe Sullivan is dead.”

Matt heard Chloe breathe in deeply as she reacted to the news. He was sorry she’d endured more pain because of the pack. “I‘m Mr. Sullivan’s lawyer. He wanted a private funeral. His estate will be finalized before Chloe’s return is demanded.”

Matt felt the anger coming from Clark in waves. He noticed his eyes turn orange for an instant before returning to bluish-green. “Your parents are protected.”

Matt intended to tell the Kents about where to hide traps, and some of their weaknesses to ensure their safety. He hoped his actions would quell the doubts he sensed from Chloe and Clark.

Matt was aware of the orders and threats the alpha attempted to use to ensure Chloe remained away from Clark. The alpha wasn’t aware of the color of her coat, though. He’d been told her return was in the best interest of the pack. “You’re aware Gabe Sullivan wasn’t the real reason Chloe returned?”

Clark nodded as he answered, “I had my suspicions.”

Matt didn’t know how different Clark really was. He was certain of several things, though. Clark wasn’t human. His mate and son inherited an impenetrable skin. His son had a strength only seen in those of their kind who’d already shifted.

“The pack seemed too certain,” Clark grumbled.

Matt almost laughed. He didn’t want Clark believing that because they’d stretched a few laws, they would continue to do so. “They won’t allow her to stay indefinitely.”

Matt decided it was time to broach the topic of pelts. “Chloe, what has Sherman told you about the color of your pelt?”

“Nothing,”

Matt wasn’t surprised. He wondered if Sherman had told her to keep the color from the pack. “Did Sherman happen to tell you to keep it a secret?”

“No. I won’t run either. I don’t trust anyone in Wolf Lake!”

Matt breathed in deeply as he was reminded of the fire. Her refusal to run ensured no one determined her color. Sherman wanted it kept a secret until he felt it was necessary for the pack to know. “Are you aware certain pelts outrank all?”

“Nope,”.

“Two female pelts outrank all. Silver and white. The last silver was over five hundred years ago. Want to guess who her mate was?”

“A traveler,” Clark guessed.

Matt recalled Sherman’s glee from his visit to Smallville. He’d been tickled pink about how Clark didn’t smell human. “You’re not human.”

“I’m Kryptonian from the planet Krypton.”

Matt suspected everyone was more interested in their reproduction. He switched the topic as he inquired, “Heats?”

====

Chloe glared at Matt, his question provoking more questions. Sherman hadn’t told her anything. He’d basically given her the talisman and his warning she would be discovered if it was lost. Her rank and any other meanings for her color weren’t given.

Chloe determined her pelt was rare and her ancestor the mate of Clark’s ancestor. She would have liked to have heard more. ‘Why did he have to change the subject?’

‘I think Matt wants to cover as much as he can now. You are making him uncomfortable.’

‘You just want to hear about my heat.’

‘No. I want to know everything.’

Matt seemed a bit irritated.

“Can’t get pregnant in human form,” she snapped. Her son disproved that theory. “At the time, I was unaware that was an old wives tale.”  
Chloe rolled her eyes, knowing Sophia wasn’t conceived in wolf form either. She hadn’t met Sophia until she returned. “I thought maybe there was something special about Clark,” she admitted.

Some of the tension left her body when Clark wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “It’s a cycle that restarts if there is no conception. Estrus of two weeks,” she answered.

Matt’s expression made her wonder what Sherman had left out. She sensed Clark wanted to hear what Matt had to say. Her eyes flashed golden when Matt asked, “Nothing about the age of a female?”

Breathing in deeply, Chloe slowly exhaled before she said, “You already mentioned I was too young.” Crossing her arms over her chest, she snapped, “Why don’t you stop acting like Sherman and tell me already.”

Her heart beat faster as Matt declared he was aware of the color of her pelt because of her pregnancy.

=====

Matt didn’t like being compared to Sherman. He decided the best way to explain might be to combine the topics. “Most of the information on silver pelts is through legends. She was the mother of all Skinwalkers, whose mate was our creator.”

Matt believed Chloe had none of the knowledge of the pack she should possess. He made a mental note to speak with Sherman. Chloe should be allowed to view his records. If she’d been in Wolf Lake in her teens she would have attended Sherman’s class, which all Skinwalkers were required to take. “Females don’t have a viable heat till they are twenty-five.”

Matt stopped momentarily in case Chloe interrupted him. He continued when Chloe remained silent. “I assumed your cycle was triggered by either the parasite or the removal of it.”

=====

Clark continued to play over the words Matt had spoken. Her heat cycle started because of two incidents connected to the caves. It was where her infection occurred and recently their second sexual encounter. “Is it the caves or me?” he finally asked.

“I believe it’s your bloodline,” Matt answered.

Clark believed Matt was implying he was a direct descendent of the first silver wolf’s mate. The old Indian tribe believed the grounds to be sacred. He’d found his first connection to Jor-El there. It had even been a portal between Earth and Krypton millions of years ago. Kara had mentioned she’d used it to visit Earth in her teens.

“I’d like to go to the caves without my daughter. I was hoping Chloe would watch Sophia so I could.”

Clark wanted to get Matt’s opinion on the wall paintings. He wondered if Matt had the same trust issues as Chloe did with the pack. Chloe wouldn’t be doing much for the next two weeks. He assumed Matt planned on staying in town for a while.

“The parasite was the initial catalyst and the rest, according to Sherman, was connected to a red rock.” Finally deciding he was tired of the situation and in all honesty it didn’t really change anything, he said, “Regardless, Chloe is my mate.”


	22. Chapter 22

Part 22

Matt nodded. He wasn’t disputing Clark’s claim. He was finding it odd the pack hadn’t acknowledged their mating until after Chloe returned to Smallville. He didn't use the telepathic link for communication, but he imagined there would be nonstop chatter about Chloe and Clark when the two arrived in Wolf Lake.

“Her estrus will last for two weeks, and that's the best time for conception,” Matt continued.

He was beginning to feel like he was giving a sexual education class on their kind. “It’s every two years. And like humans, conception doesn’t always happen.”

“Chloe mentioned large birth rates. What was the largest?” Clark asked curiously.

“Lately, it’s been twins and quadruplets. Centuries ago, it was sextuplets.”

“Conception can’t be every time or the numbers would be higher,” Clark argued. 

“I think it depends on the mated pair. I’ve been asking myself since I got here how you have so much control.”

“I don’t need to breathe,” Clark quirked.

Matt blinked in surprise. He imagined right now that was coming in very handy. “I arrived two days ago. How long ago were you at the Talon?”

“A couple days after I got here,” Chloe answered.

“I believe Chloe was in heat while we were together at the caves,” Clark commented.

“I wasn’t in estrus. If conception put an end to it, I wouldn’t be in heat.”

Matt instantly became curious. He’d never heard of anyone in the pack confirming pups before the end of his mate’s heat. Marie hadn’t discovered she was pregnant until she’d missed her period. She’d been ecstatic while he’d had mixed emotions. 

=====

Chloe determined nothing she learned mattered. She’d loved Clark since the instant they’d met. Clark was the goofy farm boy who she’d believed was special. Her discovery of his alien origins had only made her love him more. 

The publicity surrounding the explosion was how Chloe’d learned about Gabe. She had found it strange her request was granted to come see him. The orders accompanying her visit hadn’t surprised her, though.

Chloe suspected Sherman’d known she wouldn’t be able to obey. Her fears of retaliation had made her petition the alpha. She imagined if Willard had denied her request. He would have gotten a visit from a very angry Kryptonian. 

Chloe couldn’t decide who was really behind everything. Was it the alpha or Sherman? Suspicious, she asked, “Matt, if everything is about bloodlines, you were destined to be the alpha,” she paused before continuing, “Yet you denounced the pack because of Marie. Did you ever wonder if Sherman wanted that union for how does he put it... the best interest of the pack?”

````

His eyes turned gold before Matt could stop his other from responding to her words. His family had been the second most powerful undiluted bloodline after the Duvall’s. 

Her sarcasm about the best interest of the pack was clear. His belief of her knowledge of pack history might be wrong. “My denouncement started before Marie.” 

Matt was tempted to stop this discussion. Chloe tended to react badly when her family was mentioned. “Do you really want to discuss this?” To clarify for the others, he added, “My answers will be connected to your family.”

`````

Chloe nodded . She was angry the pack accepted Matt’s decision. ‘If I’m forced to be a part of the pack then what right do you have not to be?’ When he didn't answer, she knew he was either ignoring her or had managed to block the pack link. 

Chloe blinked in surprise when Clark took her mug from her. She’d get cut if she crushed it unless her conception earlier had already made her invulnerable. ‘The pack thinks I’m invulnerable.’

‘I don’t want to take the risk you will hurt yourself.’ 

Chloe was thankful Clark’s arm around her body was distracting. She tried to focus on their discussion instead of the heat she felt through the fabric of their clothes. “I have a point. If that is what needs to be discussed then we should do it now.” 

`````

Matt sighed. His intention hadn’t been for this to become a history lesson. “Fine, you do know appearances can be deceiving?” 

His clarification would surprise everyone. “We don’t age the same as humans. After our first flip a year is really nine years.” 

“I’m three hundred and sixty years old - the same age as Kyron. Your brother was my best friend. He should have been the alpha after your father, Killian.” 

He’d always felt her family's deaths had put him in line for the alpha. “If I had decided to let their actions go I would have mated with Vivian. Instead, I bumped into Marie one day.”

Matt didn’t tell Chloe how he’d dragged his feet with Vivian. His wolf had wanted a blonde teenage girl who wandered into the woods one sunny afternoon. Years later, he fell in love with Marie. He’d buried himself in work and Sophia, vowing to be the best single parent he possible could. 

=====

Clark blinked in surprise when Matt dropped the bombshell about a Skinwalkers age. He would have guessed Matt to be about forty years old, maybe a little younger. 

He couldn’t help but feel relief. A vision he’d received in high school while volunteering at an old folk’s home had haunted him for years. He’d feared everyone he loved would be buried in the local graveyard he’d been standing in, which would leave him all alone. 

Clark replayed Matt’s words as he contemplated Matt was aware who had killed Chloe’s family. “You make it sound like you know who killed her family!” 

“All I have are theories,” Matt declared. 

=====

Chloe was shocked. She sensed Clark seemed pleased with Matt’s revelation. His statement made her aware his denouncing of the pack initially started with the death of her family. “Awful convenient,” she mumbled.

Chloe wanted to know who was responsible for her family’s murder but finding the ones responsible was virtually impossible. It was chalked up as a horrible and unforgivable crime. There was a right and a wrong way of dealing with disputes. No one had dared challenge her father or brother in a fight to the death. 

Chloe expected there was more to his story but didn’t want to hash up a bunch of painful memories. No one within the pack supported Matt’s union with Marie. Humans were considered beneath them. 

Vivian would have wanted Marie’s head because she’d been involved with Matt. Others would swear Marie knew their secret and endangered the pack. His decision had made Vivian available for Willard Cates. “Did Sherman happen to support your decision?” 

Sensing confusion from Clark she informed him through their link, ‘Marie was human.’

‘Was?’

Chloe wondered if Sherman had known how the dominoes would fall when he manipulated his pack members.

=====

Matt’d sought out Sherman with advice concerning Marie. Sherman claimed the only way the pack would have agreed was if Matt gave up all ties to the pack. 

If Marie was kept in the dark she wouldn’t be considered a threat. Marie had known about the pack, though. Their belief that the humans of the town were ignorant of their existence was naive. 

Matt couldn’t help but hope that Sophia didn’t become pack. “Hopefully, Sophia takes after her mother,” he finally replied. His eyes narrowed in anger when Chloe rolled her eyes. “Sherman has years to wait,” he snarled. 

Deciding to take a different route, he declared, “If I was alpha I would enforce the law regarding begins and ends at the line.”

=====

Chloe almost laughed as Matt attempted to change the subject by stating the obvious. She’d allowed her fear to determine her actions for too long. She smiled evilly at Matt before she said, “Let me tell you what I’ve concluded. Sherman gave his blessing, which left Vivian with few choices for a mate of status.” 

Chloe’d seen the way Vivian looked at Matt. She’d only mated with Willard because his father was the alpha. “If you believe Vivian loves Willard, I’m sure I can find a bridge for sale.”

“Vivian is Willard’s mate,” Matt growled.

Chloe wondered if Matt had sensed Willard was sick. She suspected Willard would be around for a number of years yet, even if his eventual death was inevitable. She believed for now Sherman had used ancient medicines to ward off his cancer. “Willard is dying.”

“You’re wrong!”

“No, I’m not! You have been pretending to be human for too long!”

Chloe didn’t want to offend Martha or Jonathan. She turned to them for an instant to clarify. “I’m not trying to say anything against anyone. It’s just when someone is sick we can smell it.”

“We weren’t offended,” Martha said as she attempted to reassure her.

“You can smell when someone is sick?” Jonathan asked.

Chloe nodded, as she noticed Jonathan’s heart rate had increased and there was a small amount of perspiration on his forehead. Her eyes narrowed as she studied him. She breathed in deeply and then slowly exhaled which appeared to anyone she was trying to control her emotion as her eyes turned gold. 

Chloe made a mental note to deal with Jonathan later as she turned to face Matt again. “Sometimes you are intentionally unobservant.” 

She’d seen the way Sherman showed attention to both her son and Sophia. “Sherman has a keen interest in my son and shows just as much interest in Sophia.”

Chloe wondered if there were any other children in Wolf Lake whom their keeper watched. Vivian had already hinted she hoped Luke and Kal could be good friends. 

Matt hoped his denial would lead to Sophia being human. “My point is that whether you want to deny it or not Sophia is pack!” 

Chloe ignored his outright fury at her statement. ‘Did you expect me to have a different opinion?’ she asked sarcastically over the pack link. She knew Matt heard her when his eyes turned golden again. “Marie was human but your blood is stronger, more dominant.”

Chloe waited for his eyes to return to normal before she said, “If you want to change the pack, the only way to change it is from within. The laws you hold so dear will be your undoing.”

“It’s was hard enough bottling my rage for what they did to your family. I can’t prove it but know they were behind Marie’s accident!”


End file.
